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. [Return to Soyer Portfolio]         RAPHAEL SOYER (1899-1987) Raphael Soyer was born in Russia on December 25, 1899. He came to this country with his family in 1912. He studied drawing and painting at Cooper Union, the National Academy of Design, and the Art Student League. Soyer's first one-man show was at the Daniel Gallery in 1929. Subsequent shows were held at the Valentine Gallery, Associated American Artist, Babcock, Rehn and the Forum Gallery. A retrospective exhibition of Soyer's work was held in 1962 at the Whitney Museum. Soyer has taught at the Art Students League, the New School, and the National Academy of Design. He was a member of the American Institute of Arts and Letters and the National Academy. He is the author of three books, "Painter's Pilgrimage", "Homage to Thomas Eakins" and "Self-Revealment, a Memoir". Soyer has stated "My art is representational by choice. In my opinion, if the art of painting is to survive, it must describe and express people, their lives and times. It must communicate". "...Soyer conveys with sincerity and a sense of wonder the glory and beauty of the phenomenon that is known as art." (From jacket, Raphael Soyer, " Self-Revealment, A Memoir" Maecenas Press, Random House, N.Y.1969) [Soyer Portfolio | Top]