Social Realism

Artists by Movement:
Social Realism

America, 1930's

Social Realism is a naturalistic realism focusing specifically on social issues and the hardships of everyday life. The term usually refers to the urban American Scene artists of the Depression era, who were greatly influenced by the Ashcan School of early 20th century New York.

Social Realism is somewhat of a pejorative label in the United States, where overtly political art, not to mention socialist politics, are extremely out of favor.

Ben Shahn, Jack Levine and Jacob Lawrence are the best-known American Social Realists.

Chronological Listing of Social Realists

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Frederick Walker	1840-1875	English Painter
Frank Holl	1845-1888	British Painter
Sir Hubert von Herkomer	1849-1914	German/British Painter
Eugene Higgins	1874-1958	American Painter/Printmaker
Mabel Dwight	1876-1955	American
Jose Clemente Orozco	1883-1949	Mexican Painter/Muralist
George Biddle	1885-1973	American Painter
Diego Rivera	1886-1957	Mexican Painter/Muralist
Morris Topchevsky	1889-1947	Polish/American Painter
Dorothea Lange	1895-1965	American Photographer
David Alfaro Siqueiros	1896-1974	Mexican Painter/Muralist
William Gropper	1897-1977	American Painter
Reginald Marsh	1898-1954	American Painter
Ben Shahn	1898-1969	Lithuanian/American Painter/Photographer
Moses Soyer	1899-1974	Russian/American Painter
Raphael Soyer	1899-1987	Russian/American Painter
Hale Woodruff	1900-1980	African-American Painter
Philip Evergood	1901-1973	American Painter
Isabel Bishop	1902-1988	American Painter/Printmaker
Isaac Soyer	1902-1981	Russian/American Painter
Walker Evans	1903-1975	American Photographer
Robert Gwathmey	1903-1988	American
Pablo O'Higgins	1904-1983	American/Mexican Painter/Printmaker
Harry Sternberg	1904-2001	American Printmaker
Anton Refregier	1905-1979	Russian Painter
Gregorio Prestopino	1907-1984	American Painter
Joe Jones	1909-1963	American Painter
Nan Lurie	1910-1985	American Printmaker
Jack Levine	1915-2010	American Painter
Charles Wilbert White	1918-1979	African-American Painter

Artists by Movement:Social Realism

Artists by Movement:
Social Realism