George Bellows moved to New York City as a young man early in the twentieth century hoping to study and become a great artist. The inspiration for the canvases that would distinguish his career ended up being the city itself. But Bellows wasn’t interested in painting majestic skyscrapers. He sought out crowded neighborhoods that weren’t polished and pretty but teeming with life and energy; packed bars where two men boxed ferociously in a makeshift ring; workers on a hazy morning at a construction site. Bellows became known for painting realistic scenes of the tough, gritty side of life in the city. In his canvases, the play of dark and light is visually striking and filled with meaning. Robert’s Burleigh’s image-infused narrative about Bellows’s life and career has the same kind of urgency as the artist’s paintings in this handsome volume that features numerous full-page images of Bellows’s striking work. Ample end matter includes source notes and a list of museums where Bellows’s paintings can be found. (Age 10 and older)

No punches are pulled in this fascinating biography that covers the life and work of the prolific artist George Bellows. Having spent most of his adult life in New York City, Bellows left behind an extraordinary body of work that captures life in this dynamic city: bustling street scenes, ringside views of boxing matches, and boys diving and swimming in the East River. Art reproductions and photographs from his youth round out the book.

Praise for George Bellows

STARRED REVIEW
"Upbeat prose, photographs, and reproductions of George Bellows's paintings provide an insightful homage to the urban artist and athlete. Burleigh places readers right in the moment."
--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"The book's excellent reproductions of Bellows' work will excite young readers and budding artists. A fine portrait of an artist not on everyone's radar but whose work can be readily understood and appreciated by youngsters." --Kirkus Reviews

"Veteran biographer Burleigh breathes a great deal of vitality into Bellows' short but significant life and career. Accompanied by Bellows' striking and powerful works, this is an artist bio that, like its subject, packs a punch."
--Booklist

"Burleigh tells Bellows's story with immediacy and with a firm grasp of his audience, striking the right balance of broad stroke and detail. Burleigh's admiration of his subject comes through loud and strong and infectiously. And there are handsome reproductions of Bellows's work...This impressive book captures the connection between the man and the world he observed during his short life. A new generation of young urban observers will be grateful."
--New York Times

"This is a beautifully illustrated biography of painter George Bellows. Bellows found his inspiration in the working class, including the gritty night life of the city... Burleigh adds to the interest of the story through direct quotes that are well-documented."
--Library Media Connection

"Burleigh is an enthusiastic and adept tour guide through Bellows's New York milieu. Crisp reproductions coordinate closely with the text, so readers will easily connect..."
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Award
Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Choices 2013 list - The Arts
2013 ALA/ALSC Notable Book