1918
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
The Case of Sergeant Delaney is a 1918 by George Bellows, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This scene shows a group of men in a dimly lit room. One soldier in uniform is being held by another while a man in civilian clothes points at him. A child sits on the floor nearby, and others stand around, some looking down or away. The background has a few faint figures, and the whole scene feels tense. The artist used strong contrasts between light and dark to focus attention on the central figures. This is called *chiaroscuro*—a technique that makes shadows and light work together to create drama. Look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and dark to tell stories.
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.
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