George Bellows is widely recognized as one of America's premier artists. His vivid portrayals of modern urban life have become indelible icons of American art. Born and raised in Columbus, he retained close ties here throughout his life. He studied at The Ohio State University from 1901 to 1904. Bellows gained fame while a young artist in New York, becoming a key figure among a group of artists nicknamed the "Ashcan School" because of their preference for commonplace subjects painted in dark colors. Bellows also excelled at printmaking, and it was largely through his efforts that lithography came to be accepted as a fine art in America. His career was unexpectedly cut short in 1925 when he died from medical complications at the age of 42.