Untitled (Puppet Hooked on a Fence) c. 1934

Dora Maar made this photograph, Untitled (Puppet Hooked on a Fence), at an unknown date, using photography. I’m struck by the texture here, the rough, weathered wood of the fence contrasting with the smooth, almost porcelain-like texture of the doll's face. Look at how the light catches the surface of the doll's clothing, creating these soft, diffused highlights. There’s a quiet intimacy in the way Maar has framed the shot, a kind of melancholic beauty that lingers. The doll’s arm is dangling, almost reaching, a gesture of vulnerability. The high contrast gives the photograph a sculptural feel, the dark shadows and bright highlights defining the forms with clarity. It's as if Maar is showing us how to look at the ordinary, the forgotten, and find something strangely beautiful within it. It reminds me a little of the uncanny arrangements of found objects that the Surrealist artist Méret Oppenheim did. And of course, like many artists, Maar’s work embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own meanings and interpretations.