Styles & Periods

• Artists
• Styles & Periods
• Associations
• Glossary
• Projects
• Purchase Guides

Social Realism

At its core, Social Realism was an artistic movement that sought to illustrate the many hardships and struggles that common people endure. In the United States, Social Realism has ties to other movements, specifically American Regionalism. The Social Realists can also be compared to the 19th century realists, as they are united by the desire to bring attention to the reality, and in many cases, the haunting beauty of the underprivileged. In 1929, the Great Depression left millions of Americans unemployed, and set the scene for extreme poverty and hardship. The very essence of the nation's plight could be seen in the droves of migrants and the working poor. The Social Realists gave the Depression a face, an identity that has endured. The most well-known painting from the Social Realism movement is Grant Wood's American Gothic, a typical example of the style. Notable artists connected to the movement include Thomas Hart Benton, Edward Hopper, and, in Mexico, Frida Kahlo.

Feeling inspired? Try out these fine products…

From $0.75 Plastic 10 Well Round Tray by Economy Brand Affordable and easy to clean	At Least -1% Off Premier Themed Colored Pencil Set by Prismacolor All the pencils you'll ever need in convenient themed sets.	At Least 29% Off All Pencil by Stabilo Marks clearly on any transparent, glazed surface
Up to 69% Off Classic Cotton Stretched Canvas Traditional by Winsor & Newton High-quality canvas at low prices	From $3.79 Cedar Pointe Pencils + Sharpener by General's Natural Cedar finish pencils with the unique black eraser	Up to 48% Off XL Series Marker Pad by Canson High quality at a value!