George Bellows: Painter with a Punch!

Upbeat prose, photographs, and reproductions of George Bellows's paintings provide an insightful homage to the urban artist and athlete who found inspiration in unlikely places. Burleigh places readers right in the moment as Bellows (1882-1925) seeks subjects to paint, which include the slums on New York City's Lower East Side, illegal boxing matches, and construction sites: "He has his own goal: to wrestle a picture from the chaotic scene, to capture the wild energy of the moment!" Each reproduction is accompanied by thought-provoking analysis and insight into New York history. Bellows emerges as an artist of striking diversity. Ages 8-12. (June)

Gr 5-8--Bellows, an early-20th-century genre painter, is hardly a household name, but Burleigh tells his story with enthusiasm in this well-written biography. As a young man, Bellows left his hometown in Ohio and headed for New York to follow his dream of becoming an artist. In art school he studied under Robert Henri, who encouraged him to paint what he saw around him. The author recounts how Bellows wandered the streets of the city sketching tenements and crowded sidewalks. Just as his art was beginning to gain national acclaim, he died of appendicitis. Burleigh is an adept storyteller, and his language is both informal and engaging. As he recounts the painter's life, he seamlessly refers to large, full-color reproductions of the man's work that illustrate each spread. The book ends with a lengthy list of places where one could see a Bellows painting in person, and a thorough index. An accessible introduction to a lesser-known, but fascinating American artist.--Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT