Chandleresque Pastiche

Raymond Chandler 1888 -1959, was an American born British novelist and screenwriter. Chandler became a famous detective novelist and popular pulp fiction writer, his novels were developed into film and became phenomenally successful with films adapted from the books such as , The Big Sleep, Farewell My Lovely, The Long Goodbye, The Lady in the Lake and Double Indemnity. 

The most famous Hollywood actors played the lead roles in the adapted films including Humphrey Bogart. This painting looks to have been painted in the period when the motion pictures were in production and may well have been used as a design for a poster, book cover or similar, so far we have failed to make any inroads to the provenance of the picture but the identity of the artist is thought to be M.A Strauss and is dated 1945. 

This is the work of an accomplished artist who is clearly attuned to the themes surrounding the novels and the requirements of the advertising and film industry, the later part I am personally familiar with. We have only just recently discovered that this painting is signed and dated unfortunately we are at this moment unable to identify the painter's biography, we will submit any additional information should that come to light.