Raphael Soyer

Raphael Soyer (1899, 1987) was a Russian-born American painter celebrated for his intimate, empathetic portrayals of ordinary urban life, particularly working-class New Yorkers, artists, and figures on the margins of society. A leading figure of Social Realism, his figurative work drew on influences from the Old Masters as well as his observations of Depression-era America. He remained committed to humanist figuration throughout his long career, resisting the dominance of Abstract Expressionism and earning recognition as one of the preeminent American realist painters of the 20th century.