Dempsey and Firpo
47 cms x 56.8 cms (18.5 ins x 22.36 ins)
Signed and signed by the printer, bolton brown and titled
Lot offered for sale by Heffel, Vancouver at the auction event "October 2015 Online auction" held on Thu, Oct 29, 2015.
Lot 004
Lot 004
Estimate: CAD $30,000 - $50,000
Realised: CAD $35,400
Realised: CAD $35,400
Lot description - from the online catalogue*
Provenance:
Private Collection, New York
Literature:
Lauris Mason, The Lithographs of George Bellows: A Catalogue Raisonné, 1992, catalogue #181
Notes:
George Bellows was a well-known American realist painter and printmaker from the Ashcan School. His skill in lithography resulted in prints with the depth and richness of a charcoal sketch. Bellows's depictions of boxing scenes convey the athleticism of the boxers and the tense atmosphere of the matches. This fine lithograph depicts the historic boxing match between American Jack Dempsey and Luis Ángel Firpo from Argentina which took place on September 14, 1923 in New York. This was the first time that a Latin American fighter had challenged for the world heavyweight title, and it was one of the defining fights of Dempsey's career. Bellows was assigned by the New York Evening Journal to make sketches of the bout, and sat ringside sketching. In this dramatic scene, the artist depicts the moment after Firpo landed a right to Dempsey's chin, causing him to fall out of the ring. The slow count by the referee while Dempsey was assisted back to the ring led many to claim that Firpo should have won by knockout. The artist has included himself in the lower left corner of the print, lending a sense of immediacy to the action. The shocking fall leading to this contentious situation was skillfully illustrated by Bellows, and conveys the energy and tension of the moment.
This work was produced in an edition of 103.
Private Collection, New York
Literature:
Lauris Mason, The Lithographs of George Bellows: A Catalogue Raisonné, 1992, catalogue #181
Notes:
George Bellows was a well-known American realist painter and printmaker from the Ashcan School. His skill in lithography resulted in prints with the depth and richness of a charcoal sketch. Bellows's depictions of boxing scenes convey the athleticism of the boxers and the tense atmosphere of the matches. This fine lithograph depicts the historic boxing match between American Jack Dempsey and Luis Ángel Firpo from Argentina which took place on September 14, 1923 in New York. This was the first time that a Latin American fighter had challenged for the world heavyweight title, and it was one of the defining fights of Dempsey's career. Bellows was assigned by the New York Evening Journal to make sketches of the bout, and sat ringside sketching. In this dramatic scene, the artist depicts the moment after Firpo landed a right to Dempsey's chin, causing him to fall out of the ring. The slow count by the referee while Dempsey was assisted back to the ring led many to claim that Firpo should have won by knockout. The artist has included himself in the lower left corner of the print, lending a sense of immediacy to the action. The shocking fall leading to this contentious situation was skillfully illustrated by Bellows, and conveys the energy and tension of the moment.
This work was produced in an edition of 103.
Most realised prices include the Buyer's Premium of 18-25%, but not the HST/GST Tax.
(*) Text and/or Image might be subject matter of Copyright. Check with Heffel auction house for permission to use.
(*) Text and/or Image might be subject matter of Copyright. Check with Heffel auction house for permission to use.