Preliminaries
1916
Medium
lithograph in black on wove paper
Dimensions
image: 40 x 50 cm (15 3/4 x 19 11/16 in.) sheet: 54.5 x 66 cm (21 7/16 x 26 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Accession Number
1983.1.88
Art Historical Context
George Bellows' *Preliminaries* (1916) captures the raw intensity of the boxing ring in a striking black lithograph on wove paper. Measuring 40 x 50 cm, this print exemplifies Bellows' fascination with urban sports and working-class life during the early 20th century. As a leading figure in the Ashcan School of American realism, Bellow brought gritty authenticity to his scenes, often drawing from New York City's vibrant, sometimes brutal underbelly. This work likely depicts boxers warming up before a match, evoking the anticipation and physicality that defined his celebrated series of pugilist...
About the Artist
George Bellows
George Wesley Bellows was born on August 12, 1882, in Columbus, Ohio, the only child of building contractor George Bellows Sr. and Anna Smith Bellows, with an older half-sister, Laura. A talented athlete who excelled in baseball and basketball at Ohio State University from 1901 to 1904, Bellows illustrated for the school yearbook before rejecting a professional baseball contract to pursue art. In ...