Boy with Violin

Boy with Violin is an oil on canvas painting executed in 1922 by George Luks. The work measures 91.1 cm in height by 61 cm in width. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view, and the museum’s records identify Luks as its creator.

The painting’s subject depicts a boy holding a violin, a motif documented in the artist’s oeuvre. No earlier ownership records or commission details are provided in the available sources.

Boy with Violin is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The painting entered the museum's collection in 1922, the year of its creation, and is catalogued as part of the museum's holdings, though the specific accession or inventory number is not disclosed in the available documentation. Its physical dimensions are 91.1 cm in height and 61 cm in width, executed in oil paint on canvas. The work has not been recorded in any publicly documented exhibition lists within the provided sources.

George Luks's Boy with Violin, an oil painting from 1922, exemplifies the artist's commitment to portraying the human element of urban environments. As a prominent member of the Ashcan School, Luks frequently depicted the lives of ordinary people, particularly children, within New York City's working-class neighborhoods. This piece captures a moment of youthful engagement, reflecting the artist's characteristic focus on the everyday realities of the city.

George Luks was a key figure within the Ashcan School, an early 20th-century American art movement that challenged academic traditions by embracing urban realism. Artists of this group sought to capture the vitality and grittiness of city life, often focusing on its less glamorous aspects and its diverse inhabitants. Boy with Violin fits squarely within this context, showcasing Luks's dedication to depicting the authentic experiences of New York's working-class communities, particularly its children.