George Bellows

Gr 5–8—Bellows, an early-20th-century genre painter, is hardly a household name, but Burleigh tells his story with enthusiasm in this well-written biography. As a young man, Bellows left his hometown in Ohio and headed for New York to follow his dream of becoming an artist. In art school he studied under Robert Henri, who encouraged him to paint what he saw around him. The author recounts how Bellows wandered the streets of the city sketching tenements and crowded sidewalks. Just as his art was beginning to gain national acclaim, he died of appendicitis. Burleigh is an adept storyteller, and his language is both informal and engaging. As he recounts the painter's life, he seamlessly refers to large, full-color reproductions of the man's work that illustrate each spread. The book ends with a lengthy list of places where one could see a Bellows painting in person, and a thorough index. An accessible introduction to a lesser-known, but fascinating American artist.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT