Approach to the Bridge at Night by George Bellows
Pigs and Donkey by George Bellows
Excavation at Night by George Bellows
North River by George Bellows
Beach at Coney Island by George Bellows
Pennsylvania Station Excavation by George Bellows
Forty-two Kids by George Bellows
Boy with Eton Collar (Portrait of Meredith Hare) by George Bellows
The Launching by George Bellows
Steaming Streets by George Bellows
Paddy Flannigan by George Bellows

Where to See George Bellows

38 museums worldwide

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About George Bellows

American · 1882–1925

turning down the Cincinnati Reds to paint boxing matches in illegal back rooms, reversing a punch in his most famous painting because it looked better

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Portrait of George Bellows
Museums38
Countries3
Most worksNational Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. · 17 works
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Where to see George Bellows

Ranked by works you can see in person.

George Bellows prints

Hand-finished archival prints from George Bellows's body of work.

The White Hope - George Bellows - Poster The White Hope - George Bellows From £28.00 The Tournament - George Bellows - Poster The Tournament - George Bellows From £28.00 Old Billiard Player - George Bellows - Poster Old Billiard Player - George Bellows From £28.00 The Hag and the Young Man - George Bellows - Poster The Hag and the Young Man - George Bellows From £28.00 Boy in a Blue Coat - George Bellows - Poster Boy in a Blue Coat - George Bellows From £28.00 Self-Portrait - George Bellows - Poster Self-Portrait - George Bellows From £28.00 River-Front - George Bellows - Poster River-Front - George Bellows From £28.00 Spring, Central Park - George Bellows - Poster Spring, Central Park - George Bellows From £28.00

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where can I see George Bellows's work?
    George Bellows's paintings and prints can be found in many public collections in the United States. The Columbus Museum of Art, in Bellows's hometown, holds a collection of his work; these include paintings, drawings, lithographs, and other items from the artist's estate. The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., possesses several paintings, such as *Forty-Two Kids* (1907) and *Snow Dumpers* (1911-1912), plus many of Bellows's prints. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York also has a number of paintings, drawings, and prints. Among these is *A Stag at Sharkey's* (1909), one of Bellows's best-known boxing scenes. The Whitney Museum of American Art, also in New York, holds paintings like *Pennsylvania Station Excavation* (1912). The Art Institute of Chicago has paintings, drawings, and prints by Bellows in its collection; these include *The Street* (1907).
  • Where is George Bellows from?
    George Bellows was United States, born in 1882 and died in 1925.
  • What should I know about George Bellows's prints?
    George Bellows was an American realist painter, known for his depictions of early 20th-century New York City. While he is celebrated for his paintings, Bellows also produced a significant body of prints, mainly lithographs. His prints often mirrored the themes found in his paintings, such as urban life, boxing matches, and scenes of social realism. Bellows approached printmaking with the aim of reaching a wider audience, as prints could be produced in greater quantities and at a lower cost than paintings. During the late 19th century, prints gained recognition as a major artistic medium. Artists started signing their prints, distinguishing original graphics from reproductions. This practice testified to the authenticity of the print and the artist's approval. Artists also began limiting the size of editions, numbering them to control quality and influence the price, preventing excessive printing that could wear down the plate or stone. Original prints, including woodcuts, engravings, etchings, lithographs and serigraphs, are produced by hand by the artist. Each print is considered an original because the artist creates the artwork directly on the plate, woodblock, or stone.
  • Why are George Bellows's works important today?
    George Bellows (1882-1925) turned away from posed portraits and idyllic scenes. Instead, he captured real life; he aimed to reflect reality, particularly the gritty reality of the city. He painted portraits, as well as urban scenes. Bellows often painted subjects that evoked the vitality of city life, such as crowded neighbourhood streets. His slashing brushstrokes reproduced the violent action of the ring in works such as *Stag at Sharkey’s* (1909). The viewer shares the wild excitement of the fight crowd. Bellows captured powerful determination and swift action with strong diagonal lines and blurred contours. The Ashcan School, which Bellows was associated with, played a major role in American art from about 1908 until about 1913. The Armory Show of 1913 was the first large exhibition of modern art in America. The show presented some 1,300 works by 300 artists. This marked the start of modern art in America.
  • Who is George Bellows?
    George Bellows was an American painter who studied under Robert Henri. He painted boxing matches, excavation sites, shipyards, and river swimmers.
  • What techniques or materials did George Bellows use?
    George Bellows used a variety of materials in his art. When painting with oils, he favoured Fredrix Red Label medium-textured canvases. He also used 3mm hardboard panels prepared with two coats of acrylic gesso. For economical experiments, he sometimes used canvas-textured paper pads. Bellows employed both thinners and mediums to adjust the consistency of his paints. Thinners, such as turpentine or mineral spirits, evaporate quickly and do not alter the paint's chemical composition. Mediums, on the other hand, contain oils or varnishes that modify the paint's chemical makeup, allowing for specific textural effects. A common medium consists of linseed oil, damar varnish, and turpentine or mineral spirits. For sketching, Bellows used a sketch pad and pencils. A 4B drawing pencil was a minimum requirement. He also used a palette cup to hold thinners, clipping it to the edge of his palette for easy access.
  • Who did George Bellows influence?
    George Bellows (1882-1925) moved away from the formal conventions of earlier artists. Instead of posed portraits, he aimed to capture real life, particularly the vitality of city life. He was inspired by The Eight, a group who believed art should reflect reality, especially the gritty aspects of urban existence. Bellows often painted crowded neighbourhood streets. Examples of his work include *Forty-Two Kids* (1907) and *Stag at Sharkey’s* (1909). His influence can be seen in artists such as Thomas Eakins, Edward Hopper, Edouard Vuillard, and Andrew Wyeth. Bellows applied paint with slashing brushstrokes, reproducing the violent action of boxing in *Stag at Sharkey’s*. He captured powerful determination and swift action using strong diagonal lines and blurred contours. Bellows personified the American spirit of enthusiasm and eagerness in his paintings and life.
  • Who influenced George Bellows?
    George Bellows (born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1882; died in New York, 1925) was inspired by a group known as The Eight, who felt that art should reflect reality, particularly the gritty reality of the city. Bellows turned away from the formality of earlier artists, with their posed portraits and idyllic scenes. Instead, he aimed to capture real life as he saw it, often painting subjects that evoked the vitality of city life, such as crowded neighbourhood streets. He painted portraits, as well as scenes, and later in life experimented with different subjects and techniques. According to some art historians, Bellows is a descendent of William Merritt Chase, who, along with Thomas Eakins and Frank Duveneck, was influenced by the school of Munich and the British. Bellows's work, like that of his influences, is considered part of an American tradition.

Sources

Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of George Bellows's works across the following collections.

  1. [1] academic George Bellows - Smarthistory Used for: biography.
  2. [2] academic George Wesley Bellows | Realist, Ashcan School, Urban Scenes Used for: biography.
  3. [3] book Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author, Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author - The Art Book_ New Edition, Mini Format Used for: biography.
  4. [4] book Carol Strickland and John Boswell, The Annotated Mona Lisa _ba crash course in art history from prehistoric to post-modern _cCarol Strickland and John Boswell Used for: biography.
  5. [5] book Carol Strickland and John Boswell, The Annotated Mona Lisa _ba crash course in art history from prehistoric to post-modern _cCarol Strickland and John Boswell_1 Used for: biography.
  6. [6] museum Annibale Carracci - National Gallery of Art Used for: biography.
  7. [7] museum George Bellows | MoMA Used for: biography.
  8. [8] museum George Bellows | The Metropolitan Museum of Art Used for: biography.

Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-06-28. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.

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