Dress 1935 - 1942

Nancy Crimi made this "Dress" using watercolor and graphite on paper. This wasn't just any dress; it was a costume design, so the artist’s focus was on imagining the garment, not constructing it. Consider the delicate watercolor washes, and the precision of the graphite lines. These are the tools of the artist, not the dressmaker, and they allow for a level of detail that evokes embroidery and lace without actually rendering them in thread. Crimi was working with the social and cultural significance of costume, using the tools of fine art. This piece is about the potential of dress and the power of representation, rather than the labor-intensive reality of textile production. Crimi prompts us to reflect on the relationship between art, craft, and the symbolic power of clothing, inviting us to consider how making and materials shape our understanding.