Metropolitan Museum of Art presents the First Comprehensive Retrospective of American Artist George Bellows, on view November 15, 2012–February 18, 2013.
George Bellows, Both Members of This Club, 1909, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Chester Dale Collection
George Bellows (1882–1925) was regarded as one of America’s greatest artists when he died, at the age of 42, from a ruptured appendix. His early fame rested on his powerful depictions of boxing matches and gritty scenes of New York City’s tenement life, but he also painted cityscapes, seascapes, war scenes, and portraits, and made illustrations and lithographs that addressed many of the social, political, and cultural issues of the day. Opening November 15 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and featuring some 120 works from his extensive oeuvre, the landmark loan exhibition George Bellows is the first comprehensive retrospective of the artist’s career since 1966. It invites the viewer to experience the dynamic and challenging decades of the early 20th century through the eyes of a brilliant observer. Bellows had close ties to the Metropolitan Museum. He was inspired by paintings in its collection, to which one of his own was added in 1911—when he was only 29 years old—and his first retrospective was the Met’s 1925 memorial exhibition.
The exhibition is made possible by The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation.
The exhibition was organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, in association with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Royal Academy of Arts, London. – www.metmuseum.org