Doll c. 1937

Jacob Gielens painted this doll, sometime between 1855 and 1995, in an unknown location. The doll’s dress is rendered with such care, you can almost hear the rustle of the fabric. I imagine Gielens, meticulously applying each stroke of watercolor, trying to capture the essence of this object. The delicate details of the lace collar, the way the light catches on the beaded necklace – it’s like he’s trying to freeze a moment in time. The doll is floating in a vast sea of negative space, she seems so isolated. Does the doll represent a memory, a lost love, or a symbol of childhood? Perhaps this is a self-portrait? Painting always becomes this conversation between artists across time. We're all just trying to make sense of the world, one brushstroke at a time. And sometimes, the most unexpected subjects can lead us to the deepest insights.