Artwork
Nude with Red Hair
Nude with Red Hair is an oil painting by the Realist artist George Bellows. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:by Emma S. Bellows, lower left: Geo. Bellows / E. S. B.[1]
About this work
Technique & Style
As a nude genre piece, the artwork utilizes oil paint applied to a woven canvas support, characteristic of George Bellows's approach during this period.
Executed in 1920, this work is an oil painting on canvas. The composition measures 110.9 cm in height and 86.5 cm in width. As a nude genre piece, the artwork utilizes oil paint applied to a woven canvas support, characteristic of George Bellows's approach during this period.
The physical structure relies on traditional materials, with the pigment layer bonded to the fabric ground. The piece remains in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, preserving its original dimensions and medium as recorded at its inception.
History & Provenance
The painting was created by George Bellows in 1920. It entered the artist’s estate upon his death in 1925 and passed by inheritance to his wife, Emma S. Bellows. In May 1945 it was purchased through H.V. Allison & Co. in New York by Chester Dale, who later bequeathed the work to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. in 1963.
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., accessioned as 1963.10.123. It entered the collection in 1963 as part of the Chester Dale Bequest, having been purchased in May 1945 through H.V. Allison & Co., New York, from the artist’s widow, Emma S. Bellows.
No exhibition history is provided in the cited sources.
Overview
George Bellows painted Nude with Red Hair in 1920, employing oil on canvas to depict a solitary female figure. The work presents a woman seated in a dimly lit interior, her red hair and a black shawl providing the primary visual contrast against a muted background.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, draped in a dark shawl over her left shoulder and wearing a gold necklace, rests her right hand on her chest while the left hand lies in her lap. Her gaze turns to the right, and her expression suggests quiet contemplation, inviting viewers to consider an intimate, private moment.
Context
Created during the early post‑World War I period, the painting reflects Bellows’ shift from his earlier urban scenes to more personal, interior subjects. The emphasis on mood and the subdued palette align with broader modernist explorations of psychological interiority.
Own this work as a print
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.
