Portrait of Eugene Speicher, First Stone

The lines are loose, almost like quick pencil strokes, and the edges of the paper show where the artist’s hand stopped.

This sketch shows a man in a dark suit and tie, sitting still with a serious look. His hair is slicked back, and the drawing is mostly in black and white with some shading on his collar. The lines are loose, almost like quick pencil strokes, and the edges of the paper show where the artist’s hand stopped.

The artist left his name in the corner—George Bellows—and wrote “First Stone” under the man’s chin. That might mean this was the start of a bigger project, or just a quick study.

Check out George Bellows (American, 1882–1925) to see how he mixed bold brushwork with quiet portraits.