Dock Builders

George Wesley Bellows

Dock Builders by George Wesley Bellows

George Bellows usually painted sweaty boxers in New York, but this piece shows he could capture rugged labor just as well. Set against a swirling, almost psychedelic sea of blues and purples, a crew of workers and a horse haul massive logs to build a dock. The colors are surprisingly wild for a Realist painter, giving the scene a vibrant, energetic pulse that makes the hard work look almost like a dance. It’s a great reminder that American Realism wasn't always just gray and gritty.

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