The 20th century introduced a new group of writers and artists who brought something new to the ever-changing style of realism. They took inspiration from other authors and painters, and this is evident in their works, but they still managed to put their own spin on it. William Dean Howells, George Bellows, Robert Henri, and Kurt Vonnegut are four notable realists whose works are still discussed today. William Dean Howells was an American novelist whose writing changed course toward realism in his fifties, with Tolstoy as his inspiration. His general idea behind writing was that "all that is real in human nature has value, and that nothing unreal has value except through a sporting interlude" ("William Dean Howells "). He had some romantic qualities which were shown in Shadow of a Dream, but he also managed to write a romance without leaving a mocking aftertaste, as shown in April Hopes. George Wesley Bellows was an American painter who depicted normal, everyday life. houses to choose from. He often spoke about how he found the expression of life more interesting than art, which is why many of his paintings showed things like children in the streets or crowds of people. One of his greatest works was Edith Cavell, which depicted the terrors of war. Although this painting is considered by many to be his best painting, Joseph Pennell criticizes it quite harshly. Regardless, he reportedly said, "I'm tired of American buildings like Greek temples and rich men building Italian houses" ("George Wesley Bellows"). Robert Henri was also a 20th century American painter. When he began teaching at the Women's School of Design, he joined a group of realists and later began teaching. He became known for putting "em...... middle of paper ......g Out in Verse." New York Times. April 3, 2014: C.1+. SIRS Renaissance. Web. 5 May. 2014. Space, Geri. “Kurt Vonnegut.” Detroit: Gale, 1998. Biography in Context May 7, 2014. Steiner, Evgeny. Russian Review 70.2 (2011): 252-271. Academic Search Premier. Web. May 2, 2014. Stenton, Alison. “Daniel Defoe.” Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Modern World. Ed. Jonathan Dewald. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. Biography in Context April 26, 2014. Wells, David N. “Russia: 18th Century.” 2001. Credo Reference. Web. April 22, 2014. “William Dean Howells. » New York Dictionary of American Biography: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1936. Biography in Context. 2014.