An artwork on Galleree from The Art Institute of Chicago.
About the artwork
Stag at Sharkey's1909
George Bellows
An accomplished athlete, George Bellows (1882–1925) was an especially appropriate artist to address the subject of sports. Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, he played baseball and basketball as a youth, developing sufficient ability to letter in both at Ohio State University. According to some accounts, scouts for the Cincinnati Reds took notice of his shortstop talents. However, Bellows’s first love, art, ultimately intervened, and after his junior year he relocated to New York to study painting. In a remarkably short period he became the leading artist of his generation, a reputation fueled through boxing subjects such as <em>Stag at Sharkey’s.</em> In his later years he developed recreational passions for tennis and billiards, which he routinely played with friends. Bellows’s life was cut short at the age of 42, due to complications after his appendix ruptured.
Bellows was no stranger to Sharkey’s Athletic Club, a raucous saloon with a backroom boxing ring, located near his studio. Founded by Tom “Sailor” Sharkey, an ex-fighter who had also served in the US Navy, the club attracted men seeking to watch or participate in matches. Because public boxing was illegal in New York at the time, a private event had to be arranged in order for a bout to take place. Participation was usually limited to members of a particular club, but whenever an outsider competed, he was given temporary membership and known as a “stag.” Although boxing had its share of detractors who considered it uncouth at best or barbaric at worst, its proponents—among them President Theodore Roosevelt—regarded it a healthy manifestation of manliness. Around the time Bellows painted <em>Stag at Sharkey’s, </em>boxing was moving from a predominantly working-class enterprise to one with greater genteel appeal. For some contemporaries, boxing was a powerful analogy for the notion that only the strongest and fittest would flourish in modern society.
George Bellows was raised in Columbus, Ohio, and attended Ohio State University where he played baseball and basketball.
oil on canvas
Framed: 110 x 140.5 x 8.5 cm (43 5/16 x 55 5/16 x 3 3/8 in.); Unframed: 92 x 122.6 cm (36 1/4 x 48 1/4 in.)
Hinman B. Hurlbut Collection
In the bustling heart of the city, where the clinking of glasses and laughter mingled with the shouts of eager spectators, stood Sharkey’s Athletic Club. This was no ordinary saloon; it was a vibrant arena, alive with the spirit of competition. The scent of sweat and anticipation hung thick in the air as men gathered, their faces illuminated by the flickering lights overhead, all drawn to the promise of excitement that unfolded within the humble backroom boxing ring.
Founded by Tom “Sailor” Sharkey—an ex-fighter whose life had been a tapestry woven from the threads of the Navy and the boxing ring—this sanctuary was a retreat for those yearning for the thrill of the fight. Here, in this makeshift coliseum, men came alive with the roar of the crowd, whether they were fighting or watching. They belonged to a world where boxing provided a respite from the weight of the everyday; where the stakes were high and only the brave dared to step into the ring.
In this atmosphere of camaraderie mingled with tension, Bellows often found himself, paintbrush in hand, capturing the essence of the men who filled the club. He created works that resonated with the raw energy that sprung from the fists of fighters and the cheers of the crowd, and it was during this vibrant period that he brought to life his piece, *Stag at Sharkey’s*.
It was a time when boxing was on the cusp of transformation. Illegal in the streets of New York, these private matches became a wild escape for those who dared to challenge the law. Outsiders, like uninvited guests to an exclusive party, were granted temporary membership known as “stags” to join in the revelry. As the lines blurred between the working class and the elite, the sport itself seemed to speak a universal language, echoing the sentiments of a society yearning for strength and resilience.
Yet, the opinions on boxing varied widely. Critics viewed it as merely a brutish spectacle, while champions—one notably being President Theodore Roosevelt—saw it as a celebration of vitality and manhood. Indeed, boxing had morphed into an analogy for survival, a testament to the belief that only the fittest would rise in modern society.
As Bellows painted, he bore witness to this cultural shift, his canvas alive with movement, energy, and the layered narratives of those drawn to the ring. Each stroke of his brush echoed the voices of the crowd and the silent determination of the fighters, capturing more than just an image, but the very heartbeat of an era where stakes were high and the spirit of competition reigned supreme. Through his art, the stories of Sharkey’s Athletic Club continued to resonate, a beautiful testament to the complexities of human struggle and triumph.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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