An American Scene* painter of realistic subjects in a style that combined Realism* and Modernism*, Doris Lee settled in Woodstock, New York, having followed her teacher and husband, Arnold Blanch. Her subject matter reflects her Midwestern heritage as well as big-city industrial scenes and shows her wide-ranging quest for a national identity, which was typical of many of her peers in the 1930s.

In 1935, she got national attention for her painting, Thanksgiving, which, painted in a carefree naive manner, showed a kitchen scene of bustling, humorous activity. The work won the Logan Purchase Prize at the Art Institute of Chicago*, but Mrs. Logan, the sponsor of the contest, was so angered by the choice that s...