"Tattoo Parlor" by Marian Lerer, Amer., (1928-2017)

Marian Lerer, Amer., (1928-2017) Tattoo Parlor, Lithograph, ca. 1950's, Ed. unknown, 10-1/4 x 13-7/8, signed with the initial "L" in the stone, on cream wove paper. One of five lithographs by the artist in inventory. The cursive capital "L" signed in the stone, was a mystery. The  sophisticated use of litho crayon, tusche washes and scraping for texture and tonal variation in  the figures, storefront and black cats, all pointed to an accomplished printmaker with a distnctive style and something witty and worthwhile to say. No one recognized the artist. Fortunately a new pencil signed print with the same distinctive style and "L" surfaced. The artist is Marian Lerer. She trained at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Design in illustration, and worked for AT&T, Amercian Book Company, and American Artists Group. Later in life she became a top ten ranked Senior Olympic competitive swimmer, traveling the world to compete.  Here the young boy's bicep flex elicits a tepid reaction from his skeptical girlfriend.