Expertise: Bennard B. Perlman (Independent art historian; noted author); written opinion(12.14.89). Perlman’s research at Archives of American Art discovered photo of Bellows with his class at Art Institute Chicago, with student Mel Williams in photo.

Other supporting opinions: Dr. Daniel Schulman (Associate Curator 20th c. Art, Art Institute, Chicago); Nicolas Cikovsky (Senior Curator, American Paintings, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC); Fred R. Kline (Independent art historian, Santa Fe, NM).

Supporting Material: Brief background of Mel Williams [retired as Art Director/Vice President, BBD&O, Chicago]; Statement from Steve Williams recounting the painting’s history; Letter from Art Institute Chicago verifying Mel Williams enrollment in Bellow’s class; Letters from Perlman, Schulman, Cikovsky, and Kline; photo of Mel Williams with George Bellows and painting class.

Condition: Good. The painting, from its original pristine condition, has been professionally cleaned and relined to museum standards under supervision of Fred R. Kline Gallery; a transparent lining was applied in order to save the verso inscription.

Provenance:
1919-1976: William (“Mel”) Melbourne Williams; Chicago/Tesuque, NM
1976-1989: bequeathed to Steve Williams (his son, deceased 1.19.89), Tesuque, NM
1989- 1998 inherited by Mrs. Steve Williams (his widow), Tesuque, NM
from 1998 to Private Collection, Santa Fe, NM

Exhibited: Fred R. Kline Gallery. “George Bellows, Young Black Woman—First Exhibition of A Rare Oil Sketch”. Santa Fe, NM. Fall 1997.

Research note: Young Black Woman is the only known portrait of a black American by George Bellows. As stated by the supporting material and the verso inscription, Bellows made this oil sketch as a classroom demonstration in a timed 10-minute exercise and then gave the painting to student Mel Williams whose canvas he had used. This painting does not appear in Bellows’s log of paintings.