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116

RALPH EUGENE MEATYARD (American, 1925-1972) (BOY IN OLD MAN'S MASK WITH DOLL) signed by

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RALPH EUGENE MEATYARD (American, 1925-1972) (BOY IN OLD MAN'S MASK WITH DOLL) signed by
RALPH EUGENE MEATYARD (American, 1925-1972) (BOY IN OLD MAN'S MASK WITH DOLL) signed by "Madelyn O. Meatyard" (artist's wife) in blue ink on verso vintage gelatin silver print 7 1/2 x 8 in. (19.1 x 20.3 cm) circa 1960 PROVENANCE Photofind Gallery, NEW YORK Private Collection, NEW YORK LITERATURE James Rhem, RALPH EUGENE MEATYARD: THE FAMILY ALBUM OF LUCYBELLE CRATER AND OTHER FIGURATIVE PHOTOGRAPHS, New York, 2002, pl. 20 (variant illustrated) Predating postmodernism, this image is an enchanting and haunting example of Meatyard's oeuvre. Masks and dolls were props that Meatyard commonly used to explore the inner theater of his imagination. Although they seem to represent a strong psychological narrative, Meatyard simply labels these images as his "uncanny" works. Whether intentional or not, masks inevitably address issues of identity and add a mysterious and disquieting element to the work. Meatyard's favorite subjects were children, since they can represent ourselves long ago, but they also remain mysterious creatures that often seem strangely knowing. Perhaps this child is simply hiding or playing, yet his environment increases the disturbing surreality of the situation. He appears to be a lonesome gnome living in a derelict shack, rejected from society, with no company but the pathetic doll he grasps in his hands. Yet the oversize mask on the small child's body does what children so often do: make us laugh.
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