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An Irish Girl

George Bellows

1922

crayon

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Early Modern Portrait

Dominant colour

An Irish Girl is a 1922 crayon by George Bellows, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: George Bellows
When & what style?: 1922
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a woman sitting sideways, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a long coat. Her skirt has a big, ruffled underskirt that fans out behind her. The lines are loose and quick, with dark shading on her face and clothes. The artist used only black crayon, making the shading stand out against the light background. This creates a simple but striking contrast. Next, look up chiaroscuro to see how this shading technique works in other art.