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20th-century United States

Works made in the United States in the 20th century.

124 works · hang 6748 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. A six-story, narrow building stands alone in an otherwise unoccupied lot under the deck of a high bridge, with a river and cityscape in the background in this horizontal painting. Dozens of people, small in scale, are each painted with a few swipes of black and some with peach-colored faces. They gather at the foot of the building and around a fire to our left, near the lower left corner of the composition. The fire is painted with a dash of orange, a few touches of canary yellow, and a smudge of gray smoke. Several more people stand and sit against the building, which has a streetlamp near its entrance. The back end of the building angles away from us to our right, so we see the narrow, front entrance side to our left. Each of the six floors of the building has two windows with fire escape ladders on the narrow side we can see. Some strokes in red and white on the lower levels of the long, flat side of the building suggest signs or posters. The top story glows a warm sienna brown in sunlight, while the rest of the building and the scene below are in shadow. More people walk along a grayish-violet fence that encloses the lot beyond the building. The ground is painted thickly with slate gray, pale, sage green, and one smear of white to suggest snow. To our right and a short distance from us, a white horse pulls a carriage near the foot of the bridge. The ivory-white, concrete piling rises up and off the right edge of the canvas and supports the deck of the bridge above. Only a sliver of the brick-red underside of the bridge is visible, skimming the top edge of the painting in the upper right corner. Two twiggy, barren trees grow up beyond the muted purple fence, and the landscape beyond is bright in the sunlight. A terracotta-orange building rises along the left edge of the painting, with the area between it and the lot under the bridge filled with thickly painted patches of butter yellow, amethyst purple, and sage green. Beyond that, an ice-blue river flows across the composition. The shore beyond is lined with patches of beige and tan paint that could be buildings. A black tugboat puffs bright white smoke in the river. The sky above is frosty white. The artist signed the work with dark blue in the lower left corner of the painting, “Geo Bellows.”
    The Lone TenementGeorge Bellows, 1909Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image shows a painted artwork within an ornate frame. The artwork features a figure standing with one hand raised. The figure has long hair and a beard, and wears flowing blue and white garments. The background shows an earthy surface and a sky. The frame is gold and elaborately designed. The scene is set against a blank, light-colored background.
    Original Tabernacle, for Communion VesselsDayton Brown, 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 1, south wall

  1. This is a drawing of a wooden chair with detailed upholstery. The chair has an ornate, high backrest with elaborate scrollwork and a woven central panel. The seat is cushioned and covered with a floral patterned fabric. There is also a separate drawing of the fabric pattern used on the seat and a sketch of one of the chair's legs to show the craftsmanship and decorative elements.
    Side ChairUnrecorded American maker, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image shows a tall, narrow wooden table with a square top and four long, slender legs. The color palette is warm with shades of light brown and reddish-brown on the table. Positioned centrally, the table stands against a plain, light-colored background.
    Shaker StandRay Holden, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image shows a lace-trimmed sleeve with a floral lace design in the center, primarily in shades of gray and off-white. The sleeve is positioned vertically in the center of the image, with the top slightly obscured by shadow and the ruffled lace edge at the bottom. The lace details are intricate and precise, enhancing the texture and complexity of the design.
    Cuff LaceErwin Schwabe, c. 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, south wall

  1. The image displays a detailed pencil sketch of a curved architectural structure in the center of a light beige canvas. The sketch is in grayscale, with a simple color palette. The object occupies a small portion of the canvas, surrounded by negative space.
    Knee BuckleEdna Crenshaw Rex, c. 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This is a painting of a carousel horse. The image shows a gray carousel horse with glossy highlights and shading. The horse has a blue and red saddle with gold bands, and a blue harness with red accents. The horse is mid-gallop, with animated legs. The background is plain to focus on the horse's design. The style is detailed and realistic, reminiscent of carousel art from the late 19th to early 20th century.
    Carousel HorseDorothy Handy, c. 1939Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The sculpture depicts a mythical creature resembling a dragon. It has a long spiraled body and an intricate head with spiky protrusions. The sculpture is a warm brown color. The dragon has bat-like wings, an open mouth, detailed texture with scales, and is standing on a small base.
    FenceRose Campbell-Gerke, c. 1941Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, north wall

  1. The image displays wavy lines and shapes with a mix of colors, creating an abstract composition. Curved lines are intertwined, resembling braided patterns or woven fabric textures. On the left, there is a large, organic shape bordered by red, green, and beige. The right side showcases a rhythmic pattern resembling a braided rug, with strands of red, blue, and brown. The overall composition resembles a textured textile piece.
    Shaker Woolen RugGeorge V. Vezolles, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. A Rose, by Thomas Anshutz, 1907
    A RoseThomas Anshutz, 1907Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, north wall

  1. The Bridge at Grez [recto], by Childe Hassam, 1904
    The Bridge at Grez [recto]Childe Hassam, 1904Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This is a painting showing two people in nature. The person on the left appears to be running towards the right, with one leg in the air and their arms outstretched. They have tan, golden-toned skin, blond hair, and golden fabric draped loosely around them, billowing backward as they run. On the right is a pale person standing upright in a tree, their arms outstretched. They appear intertwined with the tree, with their feet nestled in the light brown trunk and their head and hands covered in olive-green leaves. The background features indistinct brown shapes against a clear blue sky.
    Apollo and DaphneJohn Singer Sargent, c. 1916/1919Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 3, south wall

  1. This print displays a landscape with a wide view of flat land stretching towards the horizon. The ground is covered in small black dots, with some bare patches in the bottom center. A few silhouetted trees and a hint of smoke coming up from behind some rocks are visible in the distance. The gray sky dominates the scene with soft, swirling clouds.
    LowlandsTimothy Cole, 1918Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image displays a detailed drawing of a vintage wall-mounted lamp. The color palette consists of primarily browns and earthy tones, with hints of a metallic sheen. The lamp is centered in the image, with its base attached to the right side and extending to the left. A subtle shadow and highlights give the lamp a three-dimensional appearance against a plain, light beige background.
    Binnacle LampHerman O. Stroh, 1938Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 4, south wall

  1. Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Wase, by George Bellows, 1924
    Mr. and Mrs. Phillip WaseGeorge Bellows, 1924Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  2. The Creation, by Kálmán Kubinyi, before 1927
    The CreationKálmán Kubinyi, before 1927Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art