Sports Drawings

Sports drawings appeal to sports enthusiasts, art collectors, and everyone in between. Some sports drawings remind collectors of a personal past with various athletic endeavors, while others are simply appreciated for their inherent aesthetic.

Sports drawings have been created since Ancient Greece and continue today. Draftsmen throughout the ages have depicted the full gamut of sports, ranging from sailing to fox hunting and chess to basketball. These drawings have ranged in style from cartoonish or verging on abstraction to the hyper-realistic.

Some of the most famous depictions of sports in fine art include George Bellows’ portrait of a boxing match titled "Dempsey and Firpo," and "Max Schmitt in a Single Scull" by Thomas Eakins. Sports represent a leitmotif in the work of esteemed contemporary artist Jonas Wood. His work includes portraits of basketball and baseball players, as well as playing cards rendered in a style that is exuberant and cartoonish. As a star of the contemporary art scene, Wood's work underscores the fact that sports are a topic of perennial relevance and enjoyment in the fine arts.

Quick Facts

• Jonas Wood's 14 square inch drawing in ink, "B-Ball 59," sold at Christie's in 2015 for more than $13,000
• There are depictions of various athletic endeavors, including wrestling, long jump, boxing, and horse races on ancient Greek pottery that dates back to around 750 B.C.
• A portrait of a rower by Thomas Eakins, "John Biglin in a Single Scull," sold at Christie's for a staggering $3.52 million in 1990