Original Irwin Brown Surrealist Portrait Painting

An unusual original mixed-media portrait attributed to California artist Irwin H. Brown (1928–2020), depicting an elderly gentleman peering upward from the bottom of a dramatically elongated composition.

The artist’s playful treatment of proportion transforms an otherwise traditional portrait into something decidedly unexpected. The carefully rendered face occupies only the lowest portion of the painting, leaving an expansive field of warm ivory above.

Expressive eyes, fine strands of hair, and exaggerated facial features are developed through delicate linework and softly layered washes of sepia, ochre, charcoal, and warm brown. The result is a composition that balances technical detail with a wonderfully offbeat sense of humor.

Signed IRWIN in the upper right corner, the painting retains a vintage artist label on the reverse featuring Brown’s photograph and San Pedro, California address.

Presented in a substantial dark-stained wood frame, the unusually narrow proportions make this an especially interesting piece for a hallway, gallery wall, or thoughtfully collected interior.

A distinctive example of twentieth-century American figurative art with surrealist and illustrative influences.

Available from Secondhand Stories, an independent vintage furniture and art shop based in Trenton, New Jersey.

Dimensions: 13”W × 31”H × 1”D, framed.

Condition: age appropriate wear, vintage finish worn, scuffs/scratches, edge wear, discoloration, see photos.

Shipping: FREE LOCAL PICKUP FROM 08610 NJ- SHIPPING cost is a a PLACEHOLDER and varies based on location- blanketwrap shipping quotes can be provided    - please send zip code BEFORE purchase for more information! Orders placed without prior discussion of shipping cost will be cancelled and refunded within 24 hrs as per customer/seller agreement.