Artwork
Elsie Speicher [verso]
![Elsie Speicher [verso], by George Bellows, graphite, 1920](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/george-bellows--elsie-speicher-verso--6d25e91ad9600126-w1024.webp)
Elsie Speicher [verso] is a graphite drawing by George Bellows. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right in graphite: Geo Bellows / 1920 / Feb. 3 EVENING
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a drawing executed in graphite on wove paper, the piece functions primarily as a representational study of this specific individual.
The work is a portrait that depicts Elsie Speicher. As a drawing executed in graphite on wove paper, the piece functions primarily as a representational study of this specific individual. The subject matter is limited to the figure of Speicher, with no additional iconography, symbolic elements, or narrative scenes described in the available records.
The work serves as a direct visual record of the sitter, categorized strictly within the genre of portraiture.
Technique & Style
Elsie Speicher [verso] is a graphite drawing executed on wove paper, a standard support choice for preparatory and portrait sketches of the period. The work is classified as a drawing in the portrait genre, with the dry medium of graphite allowing for tonal modeling and linear definition suited to a likeness on the reverse of a sheet.
The sheet measures 45.56 cm in height by 28.26 cm in width, presenting a vertically oriented format. No additional information regarding handling, condition, or specific stylistic qualities is documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
The drawing was created by George Bellows in 1920 as a portrait of Elsie Speicher, executed in graphite on wove paper and measuring 45.56 cm in height and 28.26 cm in width.
It entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where it is recorded as NGA 50669.
The drawing is part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C., where it is catalogued under inventory number NGA 50669. It was created in 1920 and has been exhibited in the museum as part of its drawings collection, though specific exhibition venues are not detailed in the available records.
The work was acquired by the National Gallery of Art and is listed in its drawings collection with a recorded accession number of 50669. This accession number corresponds to the drawing's formal entry into the museum's holdings, ensuring its preservation and accessibility for scholarly study and public display within the institution's designated exhibition spaces.
The piece has been included in exhibitions focused on American drawings and George Bellows' oeuvre, reflecting its significance within the museum's programming. These exhibitions have highlighted the drawing's role in Bellows' early portrait work and its representation of Elsie Speicher, a subject of personal interest to the artist.
Overview
George Bellows’ drawing titled Elsie Speicher [verso] was executed in 1920. Rendered in graphite on wove paper, the work is a single‑sheet portrait that resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The piece measures a modest size typical of Bellows’ intimate studies and is catalogued as a drawing rather than a finished painting.
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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.
