Frans Masereel, Mr X of the U.S.A. c.1922

This drawing is closely related to n°28 of Masereel's album Bilder der Grosstadt, publicised in 1926. Some earlier versions date from 1920, one of which was publicised in the periodical Clarté (n°19 June 5 1920). In July 1922 the magazine Vanity Fair commanded a series of drawings around the theme of the city of New york. A closely related drawing in Chinese ink was publicised in the number of April 1925 under the title of The Bucketshop Keeper. Also in 1925 Upton Sinclair's Der Industriebaron was publicised in Berlin with another variant (Chinese ink and lavis) as the cover illustration.