The Big Hat

The Big Hat was originally attributed to the well-known painter of the early twentieth century Robert Henri, a member of the Ashcan School, which focused on social realism. However, in 2003, a respected expert on Henri discovered that the work did not appear in the artist’s meticulous records, nor is it inscribed on the back with a code number, as are the rest of his paintings. The signature and date in the upper right-hand corner are likely fake. The broad, gestural brushwork is a quality the work shares with a number of Ashcan School figures.