Prints continue to come into the paper lab in preparation for this fall’s exhibition, George Bellows: American Life in Print. One of Bellow’s larger lithographs, Introducing John L. Sullivan, is torn in places along its right side; these tears could worsen with handling if not mended. I needed to address other conditions, such as stains from exposure to light (visible in the margin outside the printed image) and the distortions at the top of the picture and in the bottom margin. Also, along the right side—but difficult to see in the digital images—is dark grime. I removed as much as I could, but some remained because it was embedded in the paper fibers.

The print is too big to fit in my largest wash tray, so I began reducing the discoloration by “slant washing.”  This process involves supporting the print on an acrylic sheet and gently rinsing it with water. As the water moves from the top of the print to the bottom, it removes a soluble yellow discoloration (visible in the digital image) into a tray below. I then moved the print to the suction table for more thorough cleaning. With the paper color even, I mended the tears and pressed the print to reduce the distortions. The paper is now brighter, and the tears are now secure.

The exhibition will feature six of Bellow’s boxing subjects created from 1916 to 1924. Some of his compositions, like this one, portray specific figures in the world of boxing. John L. Sullivan (American, 1858–1918), the nineteenth-century heavyweight boxing champion, was a regular and quite colorful visitor to Cincinnati. By the time Bellows made this image in 1916, Sullivan had lost the title but is portrayed as a popular celebrity in the boxing ring.

George Bellows (American, 1882–1925), Introducing John L. Sullivan, 1916, lithograph on paper, The James and Lois Sanitato George W. Bellows Collection, 2018.248