Marionette 1935 - 1942

Vera Van Voris made this watercolor of a Marionette, and the image feels like a work in progress. The neutral tones and visible pencil lines create an approachable, almost vulnerable quality. You can see the artist’s hand, the way she built up the image layer by layer. It's like watching a performance unfold, where the strings are visible and the mechanisms are on display. Take a look at the marionette's face: it’s rendered with such care, such detail, especially around the eyes. This concentrated area suggests a story, a personality, a life lived, even if it's just a puppet. I can see a direct line between this and the work of Red Grooms, who also had a deep understanding of how the handmade can convey both intimacy and theatricality. Ultimately, the beauty of a piece like this lies in its openness. It invites us to project our own stories, our own emotions, onto its simple form.