Heartbreaking "No One To Love" Antique Ink Drawing Chinese occupation painting black ink on card

black ink on card

I've had a number of these old Czech "ramp walkers" characters in the shop

carefully whittled

keep me clean

adding a little moodiness and strangeness

Heartbreaking "No One To Love" Antique Ink Drawing Chinese occupation painting black ink on cardThis breaks my heart, but I love it so much and really in significant part for exactly that reason. In the text at the bottom, its maker misspelled "thee" as "the", but I've figured out it reads: I can not give the(e) up, with all thy faults I love the(e) still." And on the reverse: "No one to love." And then this poor fellow, flowers in hand, standing at the doorstep of the one he loves, who does not seem especially eager to open the door and let him