Indian Doll Group 1935 - 1942

Jane Iverson created this watercolor of four Indian dolls sometime in the 20th century; you can almost feel the movement of her hand over the paper. Imagine Iverson, her gaze intense, trying to capture these quirky figures. The color palette is earthy—reds, yellows, browns—laid down in simple strokes, flat and unblended. Iverson’s clearly interested in the doll's textures and patterns, maybe even their soul, and the paint is thin, almost translucent. The lines are casual, unconcerned, and that's what makes this painting so fresh. Each doll’s expression is different, as if Iverson is capturing individual personalities, and the slight variations in line and color communicate that. You see her process: the painting becomes its own kind of artifact. Iverson might have been thinking of other artists, like Marsden Hartley, who found beauty in folk art. It’s like these painters are having a chat across time, inspiring each other's vision!