Man in Bowler and Oversized Coat, View From Behind, Elusive (Pre-Magritte) Antique RPPC homespun sampler hardboard/masonite back

hardboard/masonite back

So I was delighted to find this striking piece at an antique shop in Maine: a wooden tray with face constructed of matchsticks and inlaid wood

good condition with a little wear to the edges/margins

He's made of lead and has one hole in his back which I'd guess screwed to something

Man in Bowler and Oversized Coat, View From Behind, Elusive (Pre-Magritte) Antique RPPC homespun sampler hardboard/masonite backI'm rather obsessed with this one, striking and evocative and rather iconic feeling, but which refuses to be pinned down. The back of the postcard dates it to the 1910s or early 20s, I believe (I took some time comparing this exact font and format to other real photo postcards and that seems to be the period of use), meaning it pre dates Magritte's earliest man in bowler painting by at least a few years, though those are what it immediately calls to