Doll - "Elissa" c. 1938

Curator: Well, this portrait by Rex F. Bush, created around 1938, features the figure of "Elissa" a doll rendered in pencil on paper. What are your initial thoughts on it? Editor: I'm struck by a simultaneous sense of childlike innocence and… well, a little spookiness. The wooden limbs and faded face of "Elissa" give her this uncanny quality. There's something both captivating and unsettling about her blank stare. Curator: It’s interesting that you say that. There's something significant in seeing dolls portrayed. Historically, dolls operate as more than just toys. They’ve often been tied to education and cultural traditions; folk art such as this reflected shared experiences and beliefs. Editor: Exactly. You get a feeling for its use, its place as an everyday object rather than some precious collectible. And look at how Bush renders the textures - that aged paint on her face makes me feel the history embedded within it, almost as if she’s weathered time itself. It's quite evocative, the skill needed to pull out the essence from the subject through this drawing is apparent. Curator: Yes, Bush is very meticulous. He uses pencil to describe the wood grain and even the metal fasteners holding “Elissa” together. In terms of her role and use as an artwork it must have served different audiences throughout history. The original one probably has a stronger emotional bond that new spectators may not understand. Editor: Absolutely. I can appreciate that aspect on different levels because what comes up in my head is memories of other similar-looking dolls and stories about antique shops that my grandmother used to tell me! Art really has this wonderful way of holding layers upon layers of experience. Curator: Definitely, "Elissa" is an intimate, material object. Perhaps not overtly political, yet deeply connected to the lives and stories of a particular era. Editor: Looking at this again with your points in mind, I am certain that every encounter with the portrait of "Elissa" offers something a little different. Curator: A quiet witness, caught in a single drawing. And how brilliant for us to be able to engage with those different narratives.