Artwork
Man on his Back, Nude, Second State
Man on his Back, Nude, Second State is a print by George Bellows. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1916, *Man on his Back, Nude, Second State* is a print by American realist George Bellows. The work presents a solitary figure lying on its back, arms folded behind the head, rendered in a stark, unfinished manner. It belongs to the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies Bellows’s interest in direct, unembellished observation of the human form.
Subject & Meaning
The composition isolates a nude male figure, emphasizing the physical presence and weight of the body rather than narrative context. By positioning the subject in a vulnerable, reclined pose, Bellows draws attention to the anatomy’s rawness, inviting viewers to consider the figure as an object of study rather than an idealized hero.
Technique & Style
Executed with rapid, uneven strokes, the print displays a chiaroscuro effect where deep black areas contrast with faint, almost erased lines, suggesting volume through light and shadow. The rough handling of line and the unfinished quality convey a sense of immediacy, aligning with Bellows’s realist practice of capturing the essence of a subject in a brief, observational study.
History & Provenance
Bellows produced this second state of the nude study during a period of intense figure work in the mid‑1910s. After its creation, the print entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains accessible for research and public display, illustrating the artist’s broader engagement with printmaking alongside his more widely known paintings.
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.
