Portrait of Robert Aitken, Second Stone - George Bellows
Archival giclée
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Description
A striking 1921 lithographic portrait of sculptor Robert Aitken, captured with dramatic tonal depth by American artist George Bellows.
George Bellows produced this lithographic portrait of the sculptor Robert Aitken in 1921. Bellows, a central figure of the Ashcan School, utilised the medium of lithography to explore tonal depth and character study. The work captures Aitken in a formal coat with a fur collar, his gaze directed away from the viewer, suggesting a moment of quiet contemplation.
Bellows worked closely with the master printer Bolton Brown, whose signature appears on the print. Their collaboration allowed Bellows to achieve a wide range of greys and deep blacks, which define the texture of the fur and the subtle modelling of the sitter's face. The composition is focused on the upper torso, with the sitter's hand resting near the bottom edge, holding an object that provides a sense of scale and presence. The lighting is dramatic, typical of Bellows's approach to portraiture, where he used shadow to define form rather than relying on outlines.
Robert Aitken was a contemporary of Bellows, and this print reflects the social and artistic circles of early twentieth-century New York. The 'Second Stone' designation indicates that Bellows reworked the image, a common practice in his printmaking process as he sought to refine the tonal balance and clarity of the image. The result is a portrait that conveys the gravity and personality of the subject through a mastery of lithographic technique. The print demonstrates the artist's ability to translate the immediacy of his drawing style into a reproducible format without losing the expressive quality of his mark-making. This piece remains a clear example of the technical sophistication Bellows brought to his graphic work during the final years of his career.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Portrait of Robert Aitken, Second Stone - George Bellows
Artist Biography
George Bellows
He painted boxing matches at Tom Sharkey's saloon, an illegal club near the Brooklyn waterfront where bare-knuckle fights happened in a back room. Stag at Sharkey's, painted in 1909 when he was twenty-six, shows two fighters locked together under electric light, the crowd surging at the edges of the canvas. The paint is applied with a violence that matches the subject.
He was the youngest artist associated with the Ashcan School and the boldest. While other members painted park benches and tenement laundry lines, Bellows painted excavation sites, shipyards, snow-covered lots, and river swimmers. The compositions are physically large, thickly painted, and arranged with an energy that makes the viewer feel as though the scene is still happening.
He worked as a newspaper sports illustrator to pay the bills, and the events he covered became paintings. In 1923 he was at the Polo Grounds on assignment for the New York Evening Journal when Luis Firpo knocked Jack Dempsey out of the ring and nearly into his lap. The painting he made of the moment reversed the punch to a left hook because the composition worked better that way. Accuracy was less important than impact.
He died of a ruptured appendix in 1925, at forty-two.
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