Boxing
Among the many subjects found in George Bellows' lithographs, it is the images of boxing that
brought the artist his greatest critical acclaim. An accomplished athlete himself, Bellows
used the sport of boxing to convey the camaraderie and competitiveness with which he was familiar
as an athlete and artist. The human figures in motion, a fevered crowd of spectators, and the
personalities that defined the spectacle all characterized the boxing images as powerful in
their ability to make the viewer feel as though they were ringside.
Although a portion of the prints in the boxing series represent fictional scenes drawn from
the artist's imagination, many of the images are based on actual sporting events Bellows
witnessed firsthand. Historical boxing matches were recorded by the artist with an eye
toward the climactic action that would determine the outcome of the contest. The boxing
prints aptly demonstrate Bellows' masterful handling of the print medium.
Explore other sections:
Buy the catalogue An American Pulse: The
Lithographs of George Wesley Bellows.
