The Sand Cart 

George Bellows made "The Sand Cart" with oil on canvas, though the date remains unknown. The painting depicts laborers at work, extracting sand from what is likely the coast of Maine in the early 20th century. Bellows was part of the Ashcan School, a group of American artists who turned away from academic subjects to depict scenes of everyday life, especially in working-class neighborhoods. In "The Sand Cart", Bellows presents a snapshot of American labor. The workers, rendered with broad brushstrokes, are shown in the midst of their toil. The landscape, with its rugged coastline, serves as a backdrop to their physical exertion. The work evokes questions about the social conditions of labor. The sand extracted by the men might have been used for construction. How would this image have resonated with viewers at a time of rapid urbanization and industrial expansion? Such questions invite us to explore the historical context of the painting, using sources such as period newspapers, photographs, and social surveys. The meaning of art is never fixed but shifts according to time and place.