Doris Lee was considered among the top female artistsindeed among the top figurative artists, regardless of genderin the American art world from the mid-1930s through the 1950s. At one point, postcards of her most well-known painting, Thanksgiving, out sold those of Grant Woods iconic American Gothic. She was esteemed in equally high terms for her commercial work, producing fabric and ceramic designs, prints, and award-winning illustrations for books and publications, like Life and Fortune. Such achievements and accolades notwithstanding, Lee was often dismissed because of her decorative, folk art style and her domestic subjects.
