“Boy Laying in Grass with Dog” – Original 1938 Harold M. Lambert Hand-Colorized Commercial Art Proof

1938 Hand-Colorized Boy & English Setter – Harold M. Lambert Commercial Proof

An original hand-colorized commercial print depicting a young boy in cap and tie lying in the grass beside an English Setter. The relaxed pose and bright palette reflect the narrative warmth characteristic of late-1930s American advertising photography.

The black-and-white source image appears in the Getty Images archive as Boy Laying on Grass with His Dog, editorial #953604934, credited to Harold M. Lambert with a creation date of January 1, 1938.

The boy model appears to be the same child featured in Lambert’s 1936 Brother Kissing Sister on Cheek at Fence image, wearing the same wardrobe. In that hand-colorized proof, the tie is rendered in yellow, while in the present example it appears red. This variation suggests alternate color treatments were applied during the studio proofing process prior to final reproduction—an insight into commercial art direction and pre-press experimentation of the period.

This example represents a production-era proof prepared before mechanical reproduction. Close inspection reveals smooth tonal blending and the absence of halftone dot patterning, consistent with hand-applied pigment rather than later offset printing. The rust-toned border and slightly rough-cut edges reflect handling during mounting or layout preparation.

Size & Condition: 10” x 8” landscape image area (not including border) – Very Good condition; bright colors; minor creasing at the top left and right corners; no damage to the central image area.