Doll - "Antoinette" c. 1938

Eugene Croe made this watercolor drawing, titled "Doll - Antoinette", at some point during his lifetime, and what strikes me is the delicate way he has approached the rendering of this subject. The way the colours have been applied here suggests a real sense of process and care. I think it is interesting that Croe has chosen to represent this doll, or figure in such a way. The overall feeling is light and airy due to the light, pastel colour palette, but the black lace trim adds a degree of formality. If you look closely at the rendering of the dress, it seems that the artist has built up the form of the skirt with many, thin layers of translucent paint. The doll's dress has an almost pearlescent quality; I find this contrast between the lightness of the pearlescent dress and the heavy black lace that trims it to be compelling. There is a similar sensibility to be found in the work of Florine Stettheimer, another artist who played with ideas of feminine representation in her painting practice. Like Stettheimer, Croe seems to embrace ambiguity, leaving the viewer to decide their interpretation of this image.