"The Artist's Corner..."

Walter Martin Baumhofer

What I Like About This: The artist created this work as an illustration for a story in a 1951 issue of "Ladies Home Journal"  Although I haven't read the article for which this work was commissioned, I created my own backstory of what we see here... The young fellow half-hiding behind the curtain, but not really concealed from view of the chap at the fence looks a little afraid.  Did his secret crush finally notice his admiring gaze from the window as he passed this house everyday?  Moreover, the passerby is striking a pose for his admirer - hand-on hip, legs crossed at the ankle, a sway in his torso, a relaxed "I ain't goin' anywhere" posture...  Did our admirer, eventually step back into full view?  Was he beckoned downstairs and out the door to meet the object of his admiration? Did whatever this is blossom into something more?  All are unanswered questions in the narrative that appeared in my mind's eye when I first saw this.