Doll - "Betsey Paine" c. 1939

Josephine Romano captured "Betsey Paine" with watercolors, likely on paper. This artwork beautifully illustrates the convergence of craft and fine art. The choice of watercolor, traditionally associated with illustration and more intimate works, elevates the subject: a doll, a quintessential craft object often overlooked in high art circles. Look at the way Romano uses washes of brown to evoke the texture of the doll’s dress, and the delicate rendering of its bonnet. The care and attention to detail here are striking; this wasn't just a quick sketch, but a considered portrait. By focusing on the doll’s material presence – its fabric, its form – Romano asks us to consider the value we place on different kinds of making. Is it art just because she calls it art, and exhibits it as such? Or is there something inherent in the careful rendering that elevates its status? This piece subtly challenges traditional notions of artistic hierarchy.