American, Ash Can School, Realism
Early years: Born in Columbus, Ohio. Played semi-professional sports in college.
Training: 1904 - New York School of Art, with Robert Henri; Did NOT go to train in Paris
Influence: Robert Henri - (leader of “The Eight”, later evolved into the Ash Can School). Photographer Eadweard Muybridge’s studies of the body in motion, as well as Thomas Eakins. [Eakins collaborated w/Muybridge]. Goya
Early years: Born in Columbus, Ohio. Played semi-professional sports in college.
Training: 1904 - New York School of Art, with Robert Henri; Did NOT go to train in Paris
Influence: Robert Henri - (leader of “The Eight”, later evolved into the Ash Can School). Photographer Eadweard Muybridge’s studies of the body in motion, as well as Thomas Eakins. [Eakins collaborated w/Muybridge]. Goya
Subject matter: urban life in NYC (children, tenement life, boxing matches) - all depicting the changing life of the city during a time of rapid growth through immigration. Later works are sporting scenes beyond boxing, seascapes in Maine, series of works re: WWI. His most vibrant works depict motion and action (eg boxing). Works are characterized by gritty naturalism that came from direct observation of his subjects. In Both Members of the Club, Bellows was trying to capture “two men trying to kill each other.” Violent, brutal athleticism. It is visceral, psychological, realism. The black boxer is Joe Gans, lightweight champion 1902-8. see illus “Great White Hope”, for Bellows satirical take on racism.
Context: immigration; segregation; modern city. Tom Sharkey’s Athletic Club, NYC. New York’s Lewis Law banned public prize fights. Racial tension.
Context: immigration; segregation; modern city. Tom Sharkey’s Athletic Club, NYC. New York’s Lewis Law banned public prize fights. Racial tension.
Social Conscience: Bellows was very engaged with the pressing social issues of the day, eg politics of race and social class.
Armory Show ’13: exhibited - Clearly differs stylistically fr Europeans - Bellows is concrete and based on observation, not interested in abstraction. Focus on modern life in action (“low life”) was progressive in American art though.
Other Works: Forty-two Kids, 1907. Excavation Night, 1908. Paddy Flannigan, 1908. Massacre at Dinnant, 1918 , The Law is Too Slow, 1923.
You can download the pdf teacher’s & student’s intro to the 2012 exhibition George Bellows: Modern American Life at www.royalacademy.org (Royal Academy & National Gallery).
“Bellows’ Boxers in Print”: http://www.rachelschreiber.com/pdfs/bellows.pdf
Useless tidbit: He was criticized for his scenes of war b/c he hand’t witnessed them firsthand. Bellows’ response was that he hadn’t been aware that Da Vinci had a ticket to paint the Last Supper.
Armory Show ’13: exhibited - Clearly differs stylistically fr Europeans - Bellows is concrete and based on observation, not interested in abstraction. Focus on modern life in action (“low life”) was progressive in American art though.
Other Works: Forty-two Kids, 1907. Excavation Night, 1908. Paddy Flannigan, 1908. Massacre at Dinnant, 1918 , The Law is Too Slow, 1923.
You can download the pdf teacher’s & student’s intro to the 2012 exhibition George Bellows: Modern American Life at www.royalacademy.org (Royal Academy & National Gallery).
“Bellows’ Boxers in Print”: http://www.rachelschreiber.com/pdfs/bellows.pdf
Useless tidbit: He was criticized for his scenes of war b/c he hand’t witnessed them firsthand. Bellows’ response was that he hadn’t been aware that Da Vinci had a ticket to paint the Last Supper.
Ashcan School
Name: cartoonist Art Young coined the term in the NYSun, 1916.
What: avant-garde in America until the Armory Show: 1900-13
Realists who set themselves apart from American Impressionists.
Key Figures: Robert Henri (1865-1929), William Glackens (1870-1938),
John Sloan (1871-1951), George Bellows, George Luks (1867-1953), Everett Shinn (1876-1953)
Key Works:
George Luks, In the Steerage, 1900.
Robert Henri, Snow in New York, 1902.
George Bellows, Stag at Sharkey’s, 1909,
Robert Henri, The Laundress, 1910.
What: avant-garde in America until the Armory Show: 1900-13
Realists who set themselves apart from American Impressionists.
Key Figures: Robert Henri (1865-1929), William Glackens (1870-1938),
John Sloan (1871-1951), George Bellows, George Luks (1867-1953), Everett Shinn (1876-1953)
Key Works:
George Luks, In the Steerage, 1900.
Robert Henri, Snow in New York, 1902.
George Bellows, Stag at Sharkey’s, 1909,
Robert Henri, The Laundress, 1910.