Cleveland Museum of Art

In an Elevator

George Bellows

Date

1916

Medium

lithograph

Culture

America

Department

Prints

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Elevators, in 1916 as today, often inspire awkward social interactions. George Bellows himself described this print as a “study of the relation of a nun to society.” The Old World European values and modesty of the nun contrast to the younger, more boisterous passengers, who give wide berth to her dominating physical and moral presence. The young African American man in this image is the elevator operator, responsible for manually operating the lift.

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