We are pleased to offer this fine and diverse selection of lithographs by the American master, George Bellows (1882-1925). Drawn from a private collection, this group reflects his remarkable skills as a draughtsman and covers his wide range of subject interests: boxing, tennis, WWI, figure studies, family portraits and life in the city of New York. Ultimately, the human figure is the consummate subject for Bellows and this is fundamental to appreciating his work. This collection is exemplary in this regard and the impressions described herein are consistently fine.
Bellows was a gifted athlete but he ultimately decided to move to New York to train as an artist. He was a student of Robert Henri at the New York School of Art and in 1909, he was elected an associate of the National Academy. He began teaching at the Art Students League in 1910. His first lithograph dates from 1916 and he produced over one hundred and ninety prints throughout his short life. He died in January, 1925, and his last print dates from 1924. Clearly, he would have kept on making lithographs had he lived longer. The editions are generally small in number and rarely were they printed beyond fifty impressions.
As additional works come to us by this American master lithographer, they will appear here in “Artist Spotlight” and also under the “Recent Acquisitions” section of our site. Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy this stellar selection of lithographs and we welcome any inquiries you may have.
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In the Park, Dark
Lithograph, 1916, Mason 30, edition 81. 16 7/8 x 21 in. Signed, titled and numbered in pencil. This is a superb impression printed with strong contrasts and exceptional luminosity. The margins are full and the condition is fine. (There's a very faint suggestion of an old tape residue along the top of the upper sheet edge, verso.) This large work exists in two versions, the other being Mason 31, In the Park, Light. There are, in fact, state variations in this image and our impression is slightly different that the one illustrated in the Mason catalogue. Differences in the sky, apartment house and trees are apparent. This subject, a June day in Central Park, is the basis for an oil painting which is now in the Detroit Institute of Arts. A related ink wash drawing was exhibited in the Armory show and it's now in the collection of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY. This is a large and exceptional print by the artist.
SOLD |
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My Family No. 2
Lithograph, 1921, Mason 116, edition 56. 10 1/8 x 8 in. Signed and titled "Family Group" by the artist. Signed by the printer, Bolton Brown. This is a very fine impression printed on thin china paper. The margins are fairly modest but this is possibly the untrimmed sheet as printed. The condition is very good other than for two small old hinges at the top corners with traces of the old adhesive showing through and a soft wrinkle along the bottom edge of the sheet, well away from the image. This second version of this subject, done in reverse of the first, is more fully developed and beautifully designed.
SOLD |
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The Life Class, First Stone
Lithograph printed on Japan paper, 1917, Mason 43 (ii/II), edition 49. 13 7/8 x 19 1/2 in. Signed, titled and numbered in pencil. This is a very fine impression with substantial and possibly the full margins. The condition is very good apart from a thinning of the paper in the lower center margin and also on the right lower corner. Bellows arrived in New York in 1904 and studied at William M. Chase's New York School of Art under Robert Henri. Henri moved on in 1909 and set up classes at 1947 Broadway which is the building Bellows occupied. This is an evening life class and Bellows was omnipresent working to improve his great skills as a draughtsman. Impressions of this outstanding print are found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Blanton Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Art among others.
$5,000 |
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