William Gropper (American, 1897-1977), The King

Oil on board, signed at lower left, retaining artist stamp to verso of backing, framed.

Board 13 3/8 x 10 1/4 in.; Frame dimensions 20 x 16 3/4 in.

From the Collection of Ron W. Djuren, Durham, North Carolina

William Gropper was a prominent American artist renowned for his powerful social realist works that critiqued economic inequality, political corruption, and social injustice. Born in New York City to Jewish immigrants, Gropper grew up in poverty on the Lower East Side. His early education included studies under George Bellows and Robert Henri at the Ferrer School. He later attended the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts.​ Gropper's career began as a political cartoonist and illustrator. In the 1930s, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship and documented the plight of displaced farmers during the “Dust Bowl”.

In the 1950s, Gropper faced blacklisting during the McCarthy era due to his refusal to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Undeterred, he created the Caprichos series, a collection of 50 lithographs that satirized the political climate of the time. Gropper's works are held in major collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the National Gallery of Art.

Good estate condition, light grime to surface and liner.