Doll c. 1936

Du Bois made this watercolor of a doll sometime in the 18th or 19th century, and it feels so immediate, like it could have been made yesterday. The marks are light, almost tentative, and the color palette is muted, except for the vibrant pink sash. It's like the artist was feeling their way through the process, letting the image emerge slowly. I love how the texture of the paper shows through the thin washes of color. You can see the individual strokes of the brush, and the way the paint pools in certain areas. The doll's dress is particularly interesting – it's made up of these horizontal lines and dots, almost like a code. Look closely and you'll see a signature at the bottom! It feels playful and experimental, embracing the imperfections and accidents that happen along the way. For me this is reminiscent of the watercolours of Marsden Hartley or Charles Demuth, who were interested in similar subject matter. It's this conversation across time that makes art so exciting!