Indoor athlete, first stone

Bellows, George, 1882-1925 · 1921

In the artist's record book the title of this lithograph is listed as "Murphy Playing Pool I." Fascinated by baseball and outdoor sports, the artist understood that recreation could be found in many forms. Here the bleary-eyed player develops a foolproof strategy for a difficult shot. Bellows was familiar with the billiard rooms of the Players Club on Gramercy Park, New York, as well as those of the National Arts Club, and the Salmagundi Club. (Mason)