Artwork
Sixteen East Gay Street
Sixteen East Gay Street is an ink print by George Bellows. It dates from 1924 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
George Bellows’ 1924 black‑and‑white lithograph titled Sixteen East Gay Street captures a modest urban intersection. Rendered in a single color, the composition presents a quiet street scene populated by several figures, a bicycle, and a dog, all arranged to suggest everyday life in a residential neighborhood.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a sidewalk where a man works on a bicycle while another individual leans against a building. In the distance, a porch hosts a standing figure, a seated companion, and a dog resting on the steps, together evoking a moment of ordinary, unhurried activity within the city’s fabric.
Technique & Style
Bellows employs the lithographic process to achieve strong, decisive lines and pronounced chiaroscuro, creating depth without the aid of color. The contrast between dark shadows and illuminated areas emphasizes the architectural forms and the figures’ silhouettes, while the crisp edge of the street‑name inscription anchors the scene.
History & Provenance
Created in 1924, Sixteen East Gay Street is among Bellows’ later prints, produced during a period when he explored urban subjects through printmaking. The work bears the artist’s signature in the lower corner, indicating its authenticity and original authorship.
Context
The lithograph reflects Bellows’ interest in the everyday rhythms of American city life, a theme he pursued in both painting and print. By focusing on a specific address, the piece situates itself within the broader narrative of early twentieth‑century urban experience, highlighting ordinary moments often overlooked in grander historical accounts.
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Artist & collection
Artist
George Wesley Bellows (August 12 or August 19, 1882 – January 8, 1925) was an American realist painter, known for his bold depictions of urban life in New York City.
