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William Gropper Paintings

American, 1897-1977

William Gropper was a painter and cartoonist who, with caricature style, focused on social concerns. Gropper was born on December 3, 1897, in New York. William Gropper was a student of Robert Henri and George Bellows at the Ferrer School from 1912–15. During the 1930s, working as a part of the Federal Arts Project, he produced some of the most gripping social protest works of the Great Depression. His subjects included industrial strikes, especially in coal mining and steel-production centers. Gropper did much illustration-cartoon work for the New York Tribune newspaper, Vanity Fair magazine and the politically left-wing publication, New Masses. Some of his other pieces focused on the hypocrisy of government figures, especially members of the United States Senate. Gropper died on January 6, 1977, in Manhasset.

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Artist: William Gropper
Jewish Rabbi Student Judaica Watercolor Gouache Painting WPA Art William Gropper
By William Gropper
Located in Surfside, FL
William Gropper (1897- 1977) Rabbinical Student , Ink, Gouache and watercolor on paper Dimensions: frame 21 x 17 in. image 13.5 X 9.5 in. Hand signed lower right Provenance: Fro...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern William Gropper Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Gouache

Rhythm in Blues
By William Gropper
Located in London, GB
signed ‘Gropper’ (lower right); with the artist's studio stamp (on the verso)
Category

1940s William Gropper Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Unemployed" WPA American Scene Social Realism Mid 20th Century Modern
By William Gropper
Located in New York, NY
"Unemployed" WPA American Scene Social Realism Mid 20th Century Modern William Gropper (1898 - 1977) Unemployed 20 x 16 inches Oil on canvas, 1937 Signed lower right Provenance: Estate of the artist Bio Throughout his life, William Gropper used his artistic talents to protest social injustice. Born in New York City, he grew up there in poverty and left high school to work as a dishwasher and delivery boy. He eventually began a career in art and was able to study with Robert Henri and George Bellows from 1912 to 1915. He adopted their realistic painting style, and his own work expressed sympathy for common laborers and outrage at society's ills. In 1919 Gropper established a reputation as a political cartoonist working for the New York Tribune. His blunt, forceful style attracted the attention of other publications, and he provided illustrations and cartoons for a variety of magazines, from the left-wing New Masses to mainstream Vanity Fair. Like many social realist artists of the 1930s, Gropper supported liberal political causes, depicting subjects such as the plight of migrant laborers and striking factory workers. In his first gallery exhibition in 1936 at ACA Galleries, Gropper's work was so well received by critics, collectors, and artists that the following year he had two one-man exhibitions at ACA Galleries. In 1937, Gropper traveled west on a Guggenheim Fellowship and visited the Dust Bowl and the Hoover and Grand Coulee Dams, sketching studies for a series of paintings and a mural he painted for the Department of the Interior. That same year he had paintings purchased by both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. Gropper exhibited at the 1939 New York World's Fair, Whitney Museum of American Art (1924-55), Art Institute of Chicago (1935-49), Carnegie International (1937-50), Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1939-48), and National Academy of Design (1945-48). He was a founder of the Artists Equity Association and member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. From 1940 to 1945 William Gropper was preoccupied with anti-Nazi cartoons...
Category

1930s American Realist William Gropper Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Senator" William Gropper, Social Realism, WPA Political Art, Caricature
By William Gropper
Located in New York, NY
William Gropper Senator Signed lower center Oil on board 16 x 12 1/4 inches ACA Galleries, New York Private Collection, New York Bonhams, American Art Online, August 23, 2023, Lot 3...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Realist William Gropper Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

William Gropper Important New York Artist and Caricaturist Painting, "Mug-Wump"
By William Gropper
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Politically charged oil on canvas by Depression Era New York artist William Gropper. Painting measures: 20" H x 16" W. Frame measures: 24" H x 20" W. Signed lower right and in excell...
Category

Mid-20th Century William Gropper Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

William Gropper WPA Artist Watercolor in Grisaille, circa 1932- “Uprooted”
By William Gropper
Located in Phoenix, AZ
This original watercolor by Depression Era New York artist William Gropper relates to two of Gropper's most important Depression Era prints: “Refugees” and “Uprooted.” Signed lower r...
Category

1930s William Gropper Paintings

Materials

Paint

The Whip - Social Realism
By William Gropper
Located in Miami, FL
Work is marked on reverse "Rhythm" and "The Whip." on verso - We are not sure the exact meaning of this work. Gropper was a social realist and a radical of his time and a commenta...
Category

1960s Conceptual William Gropper Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

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Judaica Painting Bar Mitzvah Boy, Cheder Lessons
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Genre: Judaica Subject: Religious Medium: Watercolor, Ink, Mixed Media Surface: Paper Country: United States Dimensions: 13.75" x 10" Dimensions w/Frame: 19.75" x 15.5 Born to Harry and Jenny Gropper in 1897, William was raised in New York City's Lower East Side. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Romania and Ukraine, and young William grew up in relative poverty, watching his family struggle to achieve that sought-after American dream. His father, a bright and college-educated man, was unable to find employment that worthy of his intellect. His mother, meanwhile, worked as a seamstress from home. Coupled with the devastating loss of an aunt to the infamous Triangle Factory fire of 1911, significant childhood factors created the foundation that led to Gropper’s exploration of the American experience. Early on, Gropper displayed an extraordinary, natural skill for art. By 1912, he was already studying under the instruction of George Bellows and Robert Henri at the Ferrer School in Greenwich Village. During his time at school, Gropper was also awarded a prestigious scholarship to study at the National Academy of Design. However, he refused to fit into convention and was swiftly expelled from the Academy. After his expulsion, Gropper returned home to help financially by assisting his mother and taking a shop position. However, he didn't abandon art academia and soon presented a portfolio to the New York School of Fine Art which earned him a scholarship for study. Gropper obtained his first significant job as a cartoonist for the New York Tribune in 1917. While working as a staff cartoonist for the Tribune, he also contributed drawings to publications like Vanity Fair, New Masses, The Nation, and Freiheit. His interest in the welfare of the American worker...
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"Carnival in New York, " William Gropper, City Street Scene Fair with Figures
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William Gropper Carnival in New York, 1964 Signed and dated lower right Oil on canvas 27 x 41 inches Provenance: Private Collection, Haverstraw, New York William Gropper was a painter and political cartoonist who is best remembered for his striking social commentary. He was born in 1897 on the Lower East Side in New York City to a large, poor immigrant family. Due to the family's financial difficulties, Gropper was forced to leave school at a very young age and work in a garment sweatshop with his mother and siblings. Several years later, he enrolled in art classes at the socially progressive Ferrer School where he received instruction from noted Ashcan artists Robert Henri and George Bellows. Gropper later recalled the influence of these men saying, "Right then, I began to realize that you don't paint with color—you paint with conviction, freedom, love and heartaches, with what you have." Following his time at the Ferrer School, Gropper continued his education at the Chase School, later known as Parson's School of Design. After graduation, Gropper briefly illustrated for the New York Tribune, during which time he began contributing to socialist publications, such as The New Masses...
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"Doomsday Rhapsody" Contemporary Social Realism Mid 20th Century Political Large
By William Gropper
Located in New York, NY
"Doomsday Rhapsody" Contemporary Social Realism Mid 20th Century Political Large. 42 x 52 inches. Signed lower right Provenance: Estate of the artist. BIO William Gropper (1897- 1977) Throughout his life, William Gropper used his artistic talents to protest social injustice. Born in New York City, he grew up there in poverty and left high school to work as a dishwasher and delivery boy. He eventually began a career in art and was able to study with Robert Henri and George Bellows from 1912 to 1915. He adopted their realistic painting style, and his own work expressed sympathy for common laborers and outrage at society's ills. In 1919 Gropper established a reputation as a political cartoonist working for the New York Tribune. His blunt, forceful style attracted the attention of other publications, and he provided illustrations and cartoons for a variety of magazines, from the left-wing New Masses to mainstream Vanity Fair. Like many social realist artists of the 1930s, Gropper supported liberal political causes, depicting subjects such as the plight of migrant laborers and striking factory workers. In his first gallery exhibition in 1936 at ACA Galleries, Gropper's work was so well received by critics, collectors, and artists that the following year he had two one-man exhibitions at ACA Galleries. In 1937, Gropper traveled west on a Guggenheim Fellowship and visited the Dust Bowl and the Hoover and Grand Coulee Dams, sketching studies for a series of paintings and a mural he painted for the Department of the Interior. That same year he had paintings purchased by both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art. Gropper exhibited at the 1939 New York World's Fair, Whitney Museum of American Art (1924-55), Art Institute of Chicago (1935-49), Carnegie International (1937-50), Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1939-48), and National Academy of Design (1945-48). He was a founder of the Artists Equity Association and member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. From 1940 to 1945 William Gropper was preoccupied with anti-Nazi cartoons...
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1970s Contemporary William Gropper Paintings

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Americana, Lawyer in Court, Politician, Gouache Painting WPA Art William Gropper
By William Gropper
Located in Surfside, FL
William Gropper Original Gouache on Paper Hand signed lower right 33.5 x 27.5 image 26 x 20.5 The New-York born artist William Gropper was a painter and cartoonist who, with caricature style, focused on social concerns, and was actively engaged in support of the organized labor movement throughout his career. This original watercolor drawing is done in the iconic style of the artist's oeuvre. Born to Harry and Jenny Gropper in 1897, William was raised in New York City's Lower East Side. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Romania and Ukraine, and young William grew up in relative poverty, watching his family struggle to achieve that sought-after American dream. His father, a bright and college-educated man, was unable to find employment that worthy of his intellect. His mother, meanwhile, worked as a seamstress from home. Coupled with the devastating loss of an aunt to the infamous Triangle Factory fire of 1911, significant childhood factors created the foundation that led to Gropper’s exploration of the American experience. Early on, Gropper displayed an extraordinary, natural skill for art. By 1912, he was already studying under the instruction of George Bellows and Robert Henri at the Ferrer School in Greenwich Village. During his time at school, Gropper was also awarded a prestigious scholarship to study at the National Academy of Design. However, he refused to fit into convention and was swiftly expelled from the Academy. After his expulsion, Gropper returned home to help financially by assisting his mother and taking a shop position. However, he didn't abandon art academia and soon presented a portfolio to the New York School of Fine Art which earned him a scholarship for study. Gropper obtained his first significant job as a cartoonist for the New York Tribune in 1917. While working as a staff cartoonist for the Tribune, he also contributed drawings to publications like Vanity Fair, New Masses, The Nation, and Freiheit. His interest in the welfare of the American worker, class inequality, and social injustice was central in his work. After publishing the graphic novel Alley Oop in 1930, Gropper's illustration career extended well into the decade. However, he was never exempt from controversy, and his 1935 Vanity Fair cartoon; prompted anger from the Japanese government. As an involved labor organizer and Social Realist activist, Gropper continued to bring attention to his radical reputation with visits to the Soviet Union and Poland. However, his concern with European politics and U.S. social causes didn't slow down his artistic career, and by the late 1930s, he had produced significant murals for American cities like Washington D.C. His 1938 mural Construction of a Dam was commissioned for the Department of the Interior and represents the Social-Realism style that depicts experiences of the worker and everyday societal life. Measuring at a staggering 27ft by 87ft, the piece portrays muscular, robust American laborers scaling rocky hillsides, building infrastructure, and operating heavy machinery. The mural feels undeniably American with golden scenery, denim blues, and steely gray colors. Gropper fits perfectly into Social-Realism because the style exhibits an illustrative flair with strong lines and simple, bold hues. The inspiration for Construction of a Dam sprang from his 1937 travels to the poverty-stricken Dust Bowl area. The trip was sponsored by a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, and his drawings of the Grand Coulee and Boulder Dams...
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Mid-20th Century Modern William Gropper Paintings

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Ink, Watercolor, Gouache

Americana Farmer and Wife, Gouache Painting WPA Art William Gropper Woodchopper
By William Gropper
Located in Surfside, FL
William Gropper Original Gouache on Paper depicting man carrying an axe and woman carrying basket walking together. Hand signed lower right Fra...
Category

Mid-20th Century Modern William Gropper Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Gouache

Jewish Rabbi Americana Judaica Watercolor, Ink Painting WPA Art William Gropper
By William Gropper
Located in Surfside, FL
Size includes frame. sight size is 19 X 14 inches. Provenance: from the collection of legendary American portrait photographer Marvin Lazarus. Old Lower East Side of New York Orthod...
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Mid-20th Century Modern William Gropper Paintings

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Ink, Watercolor, Gouache

“Cabaret Dancer”
By William Gropper
Located in Southampton, NY
Oil on paper painting of a can-can dancer by William Gropper. Signed lower left. Condition: Very good. Titled verso and signed verso. Beautifully matted and framed. Framed under ...
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1930s Post-Modern William Gropper Paintings

Materials

Paper, Oil

“Cabaret Dancer”
By William Gropper
Located in Southampton, NY
Oil on paper painting of a can-can dancer by William Gropper. Signed lower left. Condition: Very good. Titled verso and signed verso. Beautifully matted and framed. Framed under ...
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Paper, Oil

Jewish Butcher Americana Judaica Watercolor, Ink Painting WPA Artist
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Located in Surfside, FL
Old Lower East Side of New York Tenement Market Stall with Orthodox Jewish Butcher or Grocer. 25.5x21.5, piece itself 21.5x17.5 The New-York born artist William Gropper was a paint...
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William Gropper paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic William Gropper paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by William Gropper in paint, oil paint, gouache and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large William Gropper paintings, so small editions measuring 16 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Aaron Bohrod, Lorraine Fox, and Reginald Marsh. William Gropper paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,800 and tops out at $172,008, while the average work can sell for $15,000.

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