Bellows was a highly sensitive portraitist, often depicting his wife Emma and their two daughters. Emma at the Piano is often considered the artist’s finest portrait of his wife. Bellows reduces the composition to one of near-geometric purity, as the dark horizontal of the piano contrasts with the white band of the keys and serves as backdrop for Emma’s vibrant cobalt blue gown. (http://books0977.tumblr.com/post/151538033062/emma-at-the-piano-1914-george-bellows)