New York

George Bellows completed this ambitious painting in February 1911, capturing the frenetic energy of modern New York City. Though the view looks toward Madison Square from Broadway and 23rd Street, Bellows created an imaginary composite rather than a specific location. He packed the scene with skyscrapers, billboards, heightened trains, horse-drawn carriages, and motorcars to convey the city's overwhelming pace.

Bellows studied under Robert Henri and became associated with the Ashcan School, a group that advocated painting contemporary American life in all its forms. His New York scenes captured the raw reality of urban existence. This large canvas, measuring 42 by 60 inches, denies the viewer's eye any resting place, mirroring the experience of being in the crowded city.

The painting now hangs at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. Bellows revolutionized American urban painting by assembling diverse elements into one overwhelming image. He has been called "the American master of snow" for his winter cityscapes, though this work shows the city in busier conditions.