1909 Painting of Queensboro Bridge and Blackwell's, Now Roosevelt, Island By George Bellows
Blogger Art of the Day posted this picture of the newly opened Queensboro Bridge and Blackwell's Island painted by George Bellows in 1909 and commented:
... When we think of bridges we most like think of the bridge from a distance, the alluring view of it in its entirety, almost as a vista. Looking at this painting I think of the wonderful experience of viewing bridges from the perspective of the immediate shore. Of course, this bridge in particular holds a specific place in my history as it is was the bridge I traversed most often when I lived in Greenpoint.The Toledo Museum Of Art provides some additional information on the artist and painting of The Bridge, Blackwell's Island:
I never really paid a lot of attention to this painting and while the image always looked familiar in some way I never realized that this was the Queensborough Bridge (59th St. Bridge) since the title refers to Blackwell's Island. I never knew this was an earlier name for Roosevelt Island.
I doubt I need to mention it, but the blue in this painting is gorgeous!
George BellowsAmerican, 1882–1925
The Queensboro Bridge in New York (also known as the 59th Street Bridge) links Manhattan with Queens, spanning the East River. Midway, the massive piers rest on Blackwell’s Island (now called Roosevelt Island). Painted from the Manhattan side, it shows an unlovely vista of drab factories and docks. However, using vibrant colors, thick application of paint, and bold slashes of the brush, George Bellows gives the scene an energy that conveys the excitement of life in the modern American city.
By cropping the bridge off at the top, Bellows emphasizes its towering presence. The family of onlookers gazing in wonder at the newly opened double-decker bridge underscores its engineering feat—at the time, the greatest cantilever bridge in the world.
Oil on canvas, 1909
Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey, 1912.506
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