Tattoo and HaircutReginald Marsh · 1932

Identification of the Artwork and Artist

In this 1932 work, titled Tattoo and Haircut, the artist Reginald Marsh captures a specific, unvarnished moment from the urban landscape of New York. The scene is set within the Bowery, a district of the Lower East Side, during the height of the Great Depression. It is a quiet observation of the people and the architecture that defined this particular corner of the city during a difficult era.

The print bears the inscription New York-The Bowery-To Tom Martin, a detail that grounds the work in its specific geographic and personal context. Through this composition, Marsh focuses on the daily rhythms of the neighborhood, presenting the social realities of the era without embellishment. The subject matter remains fixed on the intersection of human activity and the gritty, functional structures of the street.

Technique and Physical Characteristics

This work is an etching and engraving executed on wove paper. It exists as a trial proof, a specific impression that offers a glimpse into the artist's technical process. The plate itself measures 9 5/8 by 9 7/8 in. (24.6 by 25 cm), while the sheet dimensions are 13 1/4 by 10 7/8 in. (33.7 by 27.7 cm).

The physical presence of the piece is marked by the artist's personal touch. Reginald Marsh signed the work in pencil in the lower right corner. You will also find an inscription on the lower left that reads "New York-The Bowery-To Tom Martin." This specific state of the print captures a moment in the development of the composition, before the final adjustments were made to the figures.