This book provides an accessible introduction to some of the key Ashcan painters, focusing in particular on the works of George Bellows and those of his peers, William Glackens, Robert Henri, George Luks and John Sloan. It considers the context behind their radical approach to painting and examines twelve works in detail, from depictions of the metropolitan throng to Bellows's vivid later seascapes. The book concludes with short biographies of the artists and suggestions for further reading.