"Somebody's Darling": Reverie in the Automat

Martin Lewis

ca. 1937 · Watercolor and conté crayon · Drawings and Prints

Depicted in color chalks is a formidable woman in a red hat and light blue dress sitting in a chair with her legs crossed. She turns to the side, avoiding the viewer’s gaze, a gesture that conveys a haughty attitude. Martin Lewis was a talented American printmaker who, working in the early twentieth century, created both urban and rural scenes of everyday life. Born in Australia, he immigrated to the United States in 1900. After arriving in San Francisco, he moved to New York City and worked as a commercial illustrator, a practice he continued until 1929, at which time he could focus on his fine art career exclusively.

Artist

Martin Lewis

Date

ca. 1937

Medium

Watercolor and conté crayon

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Jacqueline Loewe Fowler, 2020