Description
IN THIS HAND-SIGNED VINTAGE PHOTO OF HIS PAINTING, PORTRAIT OF ELIZABETH ALEXANDER, WE SEE GEORGE BELLOW’S FULL POWERS IN THE HANDLING OF COLOR AND PAINT, AND IN CREATING PORTRAITS OF INTENSE POWER AND EXPRESSION. IT IS ALSO SIGNED BY ELIZABETH ALEXANDER ON THIS VINTAGE STUDIO PHOTOGRAPH BY THE ARTIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER WILLIAM MCKILLOP. A FEW MONTHS AFTER COMPLETING THIS PAINTING GEORGE BELLOWS DIED SUDDENLY FROM ACUTE APPENDICITIS. HIS LAST PAINTINGS SEEM TO INDICATE THAT HE WAS LOOKING TO ART HISTORY FOR NEW SOURCES OF INSPIRATION.
GEORGE BELLOWS (1882-1925) SIGNED PHOTO OF HIS PAINTING, PORTRAIT OF ELIZABETH ALEXANDER, “Geo. Bellows”, 7.5 X 9 on a mounting 11 x 14, also signed and inscribed by the painting subject, “Affectionately Elizabeth Alexander Heermann”, on the vintage New York studio photograph by artist/photographer William McKillop (1878-1937). George Bellows was an American realist painter and commercial illustrator, who was associated with Robert Henri’s “The Eight” and the “Ashcan School” group of artists, who advocated painting contemporary American society in all its forms. Growing prestige as a painter brought changes in his life and work. Though he continued his earlier themes of paintings portraying amateur boxing matches, which were his signature contribution to art history, he began to receive portrait commissions from New York’s wealthy elite. Elizabeth Alexander and her husband, Norbert Heermann, an artist and critic, were Bellows’ neighbors in Woodstock, New York, where Bellows spent his summers. Bellows painted the portrait in September 1924 in preparation for a solo exhibition in New York City. He spent the summer painting a number of ambitious, monumental figure paintings, including the present portrait. In this painting Elizabeth Alexander is seated in the drawing room of Bellow’s house in Woodstock. She is shown seated on a Victorian horsehair-upholstered sofa holding a feather, and dressed in a showy black lace dress and mantilla, similar to the portraits of Spanish women by Francisco Goya. In fine condition, with an irregular right edge, light silvering of the image, minor age toning to the mount.
$1400 #12956ZWWI
