George Bellows

David Hammer's documentary short—produced in conjunction with an exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC—presents an overview of the life and career of painter George Bellows (1882–1925), who arrived in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century and witnessed an extraordinary wave of socioeconomic upheavals that he brilliantly captured on his canvases. The art establishment was initially shocked at his raw portrayals of street urchins and tenement dwellers, but he was soon hailed as a chronicler of the city's grittier environments. Bellows also took his sharp observatory skills to Maine, where he painted workers laboring along the stunning coastline of Monhegan Island. Bellows would court controversy with his exaggerated depiction of alleged German atrocities from World War I and freely used his work for political statements as an illustrator for socialist publications. Later, his fame and fortune were reflected in his paintings of well-heeled Newport society figures and the bucolic splendor of his vacation retreat in Woodstock, NY. Narrated by Ethan Hawke, this is a handsome chronicle of Bellows' finest achievements, with archival newsreel footage and rarely seen photographs of the artist and his family providing a glimpse of the elements that helped shape his life. DVD extras include an art gallery, a featurette on Monhegan Island, and archival film of “The Streets of Bellows' New York.” A solid tribute to an influential figure in 20th-century American culture, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)