ArtResourceCenter - Jack Levine

January 3, 1915
American Painter, Printmaker, and Draughtsman

Jack Levine is a modern Social Realist, who utilized opulent colors to bluntly expose what he considered the evils of society. His satirical work earned him a subpoena from the House Un-American Activities Committee, which required he paint a mellower version of America.
Growing up in the South end of Boston, Levine rendered the mobsters, politicians, and prostitutes in the squalid area in which he lived. Realizing his innate talents, his parents enrolled him in drawing classes at the local community center. Later he studied painting at Harvard University.
After the completion of his studies, he was employed by the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project in Boston. He later moved to New York City, where he established his reputation as an artist interested in socially committed art.
After his first one-man exhibition was held in a downtown gallery, Levine served in the US Army during WWII. During this period, a stay in Europe furthered his understanding of the Old Masters. He often employed new and old techniques to further the satire of the pathos he portrayed, which he referred to as modern Social Realism.
Although his style and technique often changed; he remained committed to religious and social motifs. He was commissioned to treat various biblical subjects, while he continuously produced satirical paintings that commented on contemporary society.

V.A.S.T. 2011