Can you tell me about the artist?
Another of my favorites! George Bellows was born in Ohio and spent his artistic career in New York. He was important member of the Ashcan School, a group of artists who worked in a realist style and took urban life as their central subject matter.
He was famous for his scenes of boxing matches and his scenes of everyday life in New York, including tenement neighborhoods and public parks like this one.
I like the mix of things happening here...the boy and man are just out for a stroll, but behind them you can see the train tracks and industrial machinery that would be busy during the work week.
Why do you think Bellows used this palette?
It is white but it looks quite dirty in some parts.
I think the colors allow certain elements to stand out more than others. The white snow makes it easy to create contrast. What do you think the palette is saying?
I think it allows the people and the dirtiness of the industrial items to stand out.