Child's Dress c. 1936

Gladys Parker made this child's dress, probably on paper, using watercolor and pencil, and it is sixteen inches long. The way Parker uses watercolor is fascinating. It’s really thinly applied, almost like a stain, which gives it a lightness, an airiness that I love. It's all about the process, right? Building up those layers, letting the colors breathe. Look closely, and you'll see all these tiny details that bring the dress to life. The lace trim is delicate and intricate. Each fold and gather in the fabric is carefully rendered. The red pigment is not opaque but translucent so that it seems lit from within, almost glowing. Looking at the dress, I’m reminded of Balthus, who also had an interest in the way girls inhabit clothes. But where Balthus is all about a kind of eerie stillness, Parker's dress feels ready to dance. The slight undulation of the hem makes the dress seem almost alive. Art’s like this conversation, these echoes across time, and it’s never just one thing, is it?