The 20th century had just begun and vice president Theodore Roosevelt had just taken office after McKinley’s assassination in 1901. The people in the United States awakened to the poverty and corruption in the country and began the Progressive Movement. People no longer romanticized life anymore and so this led to a sort of Realist style in American art. Famous artists such as Thomas Eakins, William Glackens, and Edward Steichen led this movement. Although Realist art arrived in the country Impressionism was still being illustrated due to its popularity of the late 19th century. Artists such as George Bellows and Mary Cassatt painted such Impressionist paintings.

            Realist artists illustrated life as truthfully as possible. They painted normal life activity realistically, such as the bonding of family and motherly bonds with paintings such as “The Child’s Bath” by Marry Cassatt, or regular children playing in a farm such as “Snap the Whip” by Winslow Homer. Although both paintings are examples of Realist art because of their subjects, the style used is mainly Impressionist. The subjects of most art wasn’t anything made up, Romanticized, or mythical, they were usually normal everyday things or activities. They painted Realist subjects but used the bright and lightly painted style of Impressionism.

            George Bellows was an important painter of the 1900s because of his popular Realist and Impressionist styles.  Bellows was born in Ohio in 1882 and originally intended to become a professional baseball player. Bellows eventually decided to pursue a career as a painter in 1908 when he started picking up magazine illustrations. Shortly after, Bellows started doing independent paintings. Bellows is most known for his painting series of New York City and boxing fights. Most of his work was influenced by Jay Hambridge, another realist painter from his time. Bellows’ technique was innovative for his time, the style which is now known as lithography. George Bellows is considered to be the father of original lithographic painting. A great example of his unique technique is his painting named “Sun Beams and Rain”. His style of strokes and lighting heavily influenced artists such as George Josimovich, Greg Carter, and Clyde Singer. These artists tried to mimic his method of medium lithography and coloring, and mix it into their own style.

            Thomas Eakins was one of America’s finest and original artists. He was born in Philadelphia, 1844, and by 1856 he started painting at the age of twelve by taking his father’s technique of calligraphy and applied it into painting. In high school, he attended anatomy and art classes to heighten his skills as an artist. He was amazed by the human body after taking anatomy classes and was almost convinced to become a doctor, but he stuck to his pursuit in a career as a painter.  He then toured Europe to study art and became heavily influenced by the Impressionist art movement. He then fully began independent painting in 1871 by painting Max Schmitt in a Single Scull. His works in the 1900’s were mainly portraits, such as the “Violinist” and “Miss Van Buren”, but he painted subjects in a Realist style. His style of tone and Realism influenced artists such as John Sloan, Robert Henri, and Bo Bartlett.

            Artists began the 20th century by painting with a sort of Realist and Impressionist movement in American art. The 1900s wasn’t exactly the greatest decade for American artists. American art didn’t get nearly as much attention as other foreign artists such as Pablo Picasso while started the Cubist movement, and Henri Matisse as he started the modern art Fauvist movement. Still, American art of the decade is still worth something to look into, with great artists such as Eakins, George Bellows, Marry Cassatt, and John Sloan still around painting great work in the first decade of the 20th century.

Sources:

George Bellows: www.georgebellows.com/biography.php

George Josimovich: www.askart.com/AskART/artists/biography.aspx?artist=72689www.artpostgallery.com/transitional.html

Painting Reference: www.paramourfinearts.com/list_works.asp?id=81&t=2

John Sloan: http://www.virtualology.com/virtualmuseumofart/hallofamericanart/JOHNSLOAN.NET/

Bo Bartlett: http://www.bobartlett.com/about/message.html

Eakin's Influence: antiquesandfineart.com/articles/article.cfm?request=14