Sunday 1897

Bellows employed rapid, sketch‑like strokes characteristic of lithographic drawing, allowing the ink to convey motion and immediacy. The use of laid paper adds a subtle texture that interacts with the bold, unmodulated black lines, creating a sense of depth through contrast rather than shading.

Although titled for the year 1897, the print was not produced until 1921, reflecting Bellows’ retrospective interest in earlier urban life. The work entered private collections shortly after its creation and has been exhibited in several surveys of early 20th‑century American printmaking.

Created during a period when Bellows was exploring the vitality of city streets, the lithograph aligns with his broader interest in everyday scenes and the energy of modern life. The choice of a horse‑drawn carriage, already antiquated by the 1920s, underscores a nostalgic view of urban transportation.

“Sunday 1897” remains a representative example of Bellows’ print output, illustrating his ability to translate fleeting urban moments into compact, graphic compositions that continue to inform studies of American realism and early 20th‑century lithography.