Creator Bio
Raphael Soyer
1899–1987
The painter Raphael Soyer emigrated from the Russian Empire to the United States with his parents and siblings in 1912. He studied painting in New York and lived there for the rest of his life. He was a staunch social realist, painting scenes of immigrant and city life, as well as portraits of family, friends, and fellow artists. In addition to working in a representational style, he defended it in print against the rising fashion of abstractionism. His brothers Moses and Isaac were also painters.
Entries in the Posen Library by This Creator
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Dancing Lesson
Soyer’s informal family portrait, Dancing Lesson, has become an iconic image of the American Jewish experience, appearing on many book covers and exhibition catalogs. It was painted about thirteen…
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Imaginary Wall in My Studio
This “imaginary wall” in Raphael Soyer’s studio features (clockwise, from top left) a self-portrait; portraits of the artists Nicolai Cikovsky, Moses Soyer, and Chaim Gross. In the center is the…