George Bellows, A Stag at Sharkey’s, a lithograph
United States of America, AD 1917
George Bellows (1882–1925) attended the New
York School of Art where he was taught by Robert Henri and John
Sloan. He was part of a group of artists known as “The Eight” or
the Ashcan School, who focused on images of urban
realism.
Bellows was introduced to lithography by the
printer George Miller in 1916 and the subjects of his prints ranged
from themes of sport and New York street life to studies of the
nude and portraits. From 1918–19 he collaborated with Bolton
Brown as his printer. By the time of his death Bellows had
produced some 193 prints and his reputation as one of America’s
most significant lithographers and painters has continued to
grow.
A Stag at Sharkey’s, produced in
1917, is one of the most famous images of twentieth-century
American printmaking. The scene shows a prize fight, known as a
‘stag’, being held at a private club. The boxers are arranged in a
strong, pyramid-like composition, recalling classical sculpture.
The force of their action is illustrated by interlocking forms and
bold diagonal lines. The spectators are shown in detail and depict
a range of social types: from the office clerk in tie to the worker
in shirtsleeves. Bellows is believed to have included himself
as the second spectator to the referee’s right, with just his eye
and balding head peeping over the raised floor.
L. Mason, The Lithographs of
George Bellows, revised (San Francisco, Alan Wofsy Fine Arts,
1992)