Raphael Soyer was a Russian-born American painter, draftsman, and printmaker. Soyer was referred to as an American scene painter. He is identified as a Social Realist because of his interest in men and women viewed in contemporary settings which included the streets, subways, salons and artists' studios of New York City. He also wrote several books on his life and art.
His brothers Moses Soyer and Isaac Soyer were also painters. Wikipedia
“If art is to survive it must describe and express people, their lives and times.”
As quoted in Barry N. Schwartz, The new humanism: art in a time of change, Praeger 1974, p. 179.
Then he died. He worked to the very last minute.
As quoted in Paper Lanterns (Quotations from The Sun) p. 59.
