Anonymous, New York / City Skyline (1920s)

Highly detailed pencil drawing of a city skyline. Plumes of smoke or steam billow from buildings. Walls are punctuated by blank windows. It's a city of skyscrapers, curves, cubes and geometric shapes. 

The picture closely resembles a print by Jan Matulka known as Arrangement - New York (1925), though there is some difference in the arrangement of the buildings. Therefore it is not a copy of that print, but appears to be a study using many of the same elements. Meticulously and precisely drawn in pencil on vintage pulp-backed board, faced with white paper. In fact, Matulka was part of a movemnt known as 'Precisionism'.

Certainly, there are a few factors pointing to the possibility of this being an original work by Jan Matulka, unlikely though it may seem. The arrangement is remarkably similar to Matulka's 1925 Arrangement - New York. The material on which is is drawn, with acid ageing on the reverse and white paper frontage, is a material which Matulka frequently used, as are the dimensions. In fact, the material and dimensions matches other verified works by Matulka. The proportions also correspond with the larger, print version of Arrangement - New York.  The capital M overlaid in ink suggests it was at one point labelled, perhaps in a printers' studio.

Board size 204mm x 275mm (8" x 11") excluding frame. Pencil on paper. With modern glazing label on reverse. Signed bottom right with bold capital M.

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