Robert Gwathmey

Robert Gwathmey (1903, 1988) was an American Social Realist painter best known for his vivid, stylized depictions of African American life and labor in the rural American South. Drawing on influences from folk art, stained glass, and the flat color planes of modernism, his work powerfully addressed racial injustice, poverty, and the dignity of working-class people. He was a significant figure in mid-20th century American art, teaching for many years at Cooper Union in New York City.