Artwork
Anne 1921
Anne 1921 is a print by George Bellows. It dates from 1923 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
This sketch shows a girl with a straight, dark bangs cut and loose curls framing her face.
This sketch shows a girl with a straight, dark bangs cut and loose curls framing her face. Her eyes are wide and focused, looking just past you. The lines around her hair and neck are loose and sketchy, like the artist worked fast.
The signature says "Anne 1921," but it was actually made in 1923. The paper looks worn, like it’s been handled a lot.
Check out *The Cleveland Museum of Art* to see more of this drawing in person.
Overview
Anne 1921 is a print executed by American realist George Bellows in 1923. Though the work bears the date 1921 in its inscription, scholarly research confirms the actual year of creation as 1923. The piece resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed alongside other examples of Bellows’s early twentieth‑century output.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a young woman whose hair is cut straight across the forehead and allowed to fall in loose curls around her face. Her eyes are wide and directed slightly beyond the viewer, suggesting a moment of contemplation or anticipation. The composition captures a fleeting, intimate portrait rather than the bustling urban scenes for which Bellows is best known.
Technique & Style
Rendered with rapid, sketch‑like lines, the print emphasizes the fluidity of the hair and the softness of the neck. The loose handling of form conveys immediacy, as if the artist worked swiftly to capture the sitter’s expression. The paper shows signs of extensive handling, its worn surface adding a tactile quality that underscores the work’s informal, observational character.
History & Provenance
Created in 1923, the print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the mid‑twentieth century, though the precise details of its donation remain undocumented in public records. Its presence in the museum’s collection highlights Bellows’s range beyond his celebrated cityscapes, offering viewers insight into his portraiture practice during the early 1920s.
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.
