Knitted Doll by Jane Iverson

Knitted Doll 1935 - 1942

0:00
0:00

drawing, watercolor

# 

portrait

# 

drawing

# 

figuration

# 

watercolor

# 

folk-art

# 

statue

Dimensions: overall: 35.5 x 27.5 cm (14 x 10 13/16 in.) Original IAD Object: 11 3/4" high

Copyright: National Gallery of Art: CC0 1.0

Curator: Good day, and welcome. Before us, we have Jane Iverson's watercolor and ink drawing, "Knitted Doll," created between 1935 and 1942. Editor: Well, that's a curious-looking doll. It’s… stout! The stark profile and color choices make it look somewhat melancholy, almost frozen in time. Curator: Absolutely. What's interesting is Iverson’s choice of rendering. Look at the figure’s clothing; notice the subtle ways she delineates textures through layering. This almost obsessive recording suggests this might have been related to studies of occupational materials—knitting and associated craft production during a particularly complex economic period. Editor: I do see that interesting texture in the sweater. But doesn’t the application of color lack volume? Note how Iverson creates these flat planes of grey for the pants and stark areas of shadow, failing to conform to the figure. Curator: I think that flatness points us to the formal tradition of folk art. While the illusionism isn't fully embraced, what matters is that the materiality and associated labor of such crafting are celebrated. Editor: You might be right. What stands out for me are the red highlights – the shoes and the edges of the red top really emphasize the boundaries of this oddly-shaped figure. Those strategic color placements give the doll a certain structure. Curator: Indeed, and it highlights how materials were available during that time and maybe the limits. Were specific dyes hard to source, pushing the aesthetic towards simple palettes? Or was that just her stylistic approach to the art? Editor: A fair question. I suppose what I value about this piece is how the formal elements underscore this doll's very stillness and introspection. Curator: And to me, it reveals the stories embedded in the everyday crafts and material lives of the working class during that era, captured through Iverson's observational hand. Thank you for that sharp insight, as always.

Show more

Comments

No comments

Be the first to comment and join the conversation on the ultimate creative platform.