Surreal real photo postcard studio photographshowing a young man posed with a cutout image of a young woman in a bizarre staged romantic staged scene. The man sits beside the cutout of the woman with one arm placed around her while she appears to lean toward him in a relaxed pose. Both wear light clothing typical of the early twentieth century, with the woman in a dress and the man in a jacket and trousers. The backdrop features painted architectural elements and foliage suggesting a garden setting, a common device used in studio portraiture.



The image of a live subject with cutout figure creates a surreal fantasy image produced as a novelty or sentimental postcard portrait derived from the story of the Merry Widow. The soft pose and decorative setting reflect the style of staged romantic portraits popular during the postcard era., this taken at Atlantic City, N. J. in August 1908.



The front bears the printed text: Handwritten caption reading “The Merry Widow, Atlantic City, N.J.” along the margin. The reverse reads: “POST CARD – Atlantic City Souvenir” with publisher credit to Foto by Dittrich, Philadelphia. Handwritten inscriptions read: Pencil catalog notation visible along the edge.