Who painted My Family?

My Family was painted by George Bellows in 1916.

Where can I see My Family?

My Family is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is My Family?

My Family is associated with Realism.

Can I buy a print of My Family?

Museum-quality prints of My Family are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

My Family

George Bellows , 1916

My Family is an oil painting by the Realist artist George Bellows. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Technique & Style

Executed in 1916, George Bellows's My Family is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 151 cm in height and 167.8 cm in width. As a painted composition, it utilizes traditional oil pigments applied to a woven fabric support, characteristic of the artist's approach to large-scale figurative subjects during this period.

History & Provenance

The painting was acquired by the museum in 1983 as a gift from Paul Mellon, who had purchased it in May 1967 through the New York dealer H.

George Bellows painted My Family in 1916. The work remained with the artist until his death in 1925, then passed by inheritance to his wife, Emma S. Bellows. Following her death in 1959, the painting entered her estate.

In May 1967, Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia, acquired the painting through the New York dealer H.V. Allison & Co. Mellon later gave the painting to the National Gallery of Art in 1983, where it remains in the collection.

My Family is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The painting was acquired by the museum in 1983 as a gift from Paul Mellon, who had purchased it in May 1967 through the New York dealer H.V. Allison & Co. from the estate of Emma S. Bellows, the artist's widow. The work bears the accession number 1983.1.3.

Overview

George Bellows’ 1916 oil on canvas titled My Family presents an intimate outdoor scene. A woman in a purple dress cradles a young girl in pink while they sit on a couch beneath a green‑and‑white striped awning. Trees and foliage form a muted backdrop, framing the figures in a modest domestic setting.

Subject & Meaning

The composition focuses on a mother‑daughter relationship, emphasizing tenderness and everyday life. The choice of vibrant clothing against the natural surroundings highlights the personal connection between the figures, suggesting a quiet moment of familial affection rather than a formal portrait.

Study of Emma and the Children, George Bellows

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Artist & collection

Artist

George Bellows

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.