The Black Hat 1921

George Bellows made this work, The Black Hat, with crayon, and what strikes me first is how he orchestrates the value, moving between light and dark like a dance. The white of the paper shines through the sitter's face, contrasting with the dark, enveloping hat. The drawing comes alive through Bellows' layering of marks. Notice how he captures the intricate patterns of her blouse with a lively scribble, almost like he's sketching out a feeling rather than a pattern. And the hat? It's a marvel of texture, achieved with these dense, scribbled lines that somehow convey the material. This piece feels like a conversation with artists like Manet, who also explored the interplay of light, shadow, and modernity. Bellows is not just depicting a woman; he's exploring the language of drawing itself, inviting us to see the world through his eyes, one scribbled line at a time.