The collection was donated by Sophie Gropper, Gropper's widow, in 1984.
Among the holdings of the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview of William Gropper conducted by Bruce Hooton in 1965. The Louis Lozowick papers contain documentation of Lozowick's research and writings for a biography of Gropper.
The Special Collections Research Center at the Syracuse University Library also holds a collection of William Gropper's papers.
The papers of
The collection was processed by Jayna M. Hanson in 2007. The collection was microfilmed on reels 3501-3504 shortly after receipt, and was digitized in 2007 with funding from the Terra Foundation for American Art.
William Gropper papers, 1916-1983. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The collection has been digitized and is available online via AAA's website.
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the
William Gropper was born on December 3rd, 1897 in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. His family was impoverished and his parents worked in the New York garment factories. To help his family, Gropper took odd jobs throughout New York City. When he was not busy working, Gropper nurtured his artistic talents by drawing cartoons on sidewalks and the sides of buildings.
In 1912, Gropper began formal art education at the Ferrer School in Greenwich Village where he was influenced by the Ashcan School of social realists, particularly artists Robert Henri and George Bellows. After the Ferrer School, Gropper studied at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts on a scholarship granted by Frank Alvah Parsons. Following his education, Gropper worked simultaneously at the
Gropper, who was also a painter, produced powerful imagery of social protest. His subjects included industrial strikes and the labor wars of the coal mining and steel industries. Additionally, William Gropper received several commissions from the Federal Arts Project, Works Progress Administration to create murals for various public buildings around the country, including one for the United States Department of the Interior building in Washington, D.C. Here, he created
Later in his career, William Gropper exhibited his artwork throughout the United States and the world. Gropper was also one of the originial members of the Artists Equity Association founded in 1947. Gropper's artwork can be found in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution, The National Gallery of Art, The Butler Institute of American Art, Princeton University, The Phillips Collection, The William J. Clinton Presidential Library as well as many other museums and universities. William Gropper remained in New York City and the surrounding area with his wife, Sophie until his death in 1977.
The papers of painter, illustrator, muralist, and political activist William Gropper measure 3.3 linear feet and date from 1916-1983.
Three folders of scattered Biographical Information are found for William Gropper, his wife Sophie and their children. Business Records consist of lists of artwork, price lists, contracts, receipts, and other financial records. Scattered Writings and Notes include mostly writings about Gropper by others, lists of works of art, and miscellaneous writings. Works of Art include three original drawings by Gropper and a sample of fabric designed by Gropper. Circa 600 letters within the papers were written to William Gropper between 1916 and 1977 (bulk, 1970s), although Sophie Gropper's correspondence is also included. Found here are letters from Frank Crowninshield, Robert Henri, Louis Lozowick, Frank Alva Parsons, Raphael Soyer, and others. There are also letters concerning Gropper's participation in the Federal Art Project and from Ben Horowitz of the Heritage Gallery who represented Gropper's artwork.
Almost one-half of the collection consists of Printed Materials, including full issues of
Photographs are of Gropper, his family, colleagues, friends, family vacations, and works of art.
The collection is arranged into seven series:
This series consists of scattered biographical information, including fingerprint records, resumes, an estate appraisal, Gropper's funeral arrangement information, and immunization records. Information pertaining to Sophie Gropper includes a photograph, diet information and permit. Also included is information concerning the Gropper Family such as estate information, bank records, receipts, and report cards.
This series is arranged by family name to which the biographical information pertains.
William Gropper
Sophie Gropper
Gropper Family
William Gropper's scattered Business Records include lists of works of art, purchase orders for artwork, bills, royalty information, contracts with museums and publishing companies, bank records and receipts.
Price Lists
Art Purchase Orders
Art Purchase Orders
Book Royalties
Contracts
Receipts
This series includes descriptions of Gropper's works of art, lists of works of art, writings by and about Gropper, including a dissertation about the artist by Joseph Anthony Gahn. There is also one folder of scattered minutes of the Committee on Progess of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. It is unclear what role Gropper played on the Committee.
Descriptions of Works of Art
Dissertation on Gropper
Lists of Works of Art
Minutes, Committee on Progress, American Academy of Arts and Letters
Notes
Writings about Gropper
Writings by Gropper
Miscellaneous Writings
This series includes three original pen and pencil drawings by William Gropper. One drawing is of three unidentified men which Gropper signs with hebrew characters. A second drawing is a profile of a seated, unidentified man. The last sketch is of an unidentified group of people. A Gropper designed fabric sample is included as well.
Drawings
Fabric Sample
Oversized material housed in Box 4
Oversized material scanned with Box 1, Folder 21
This series includes letters written to William Gropper from 1916 until 1977, including some photocopies. Very few of William Gropper's responses are in this collection, which are mostly undated. There is also correspondence written by and to Sophie Gropper from 1980 to 1983. Notable correspondents include Louis Lozowick, Frank Crowninshield, Raphael Soyer, Robert Henri, and Frank Alvah Parsons. There are many letters from Ben Horowitz with the Heritage Gallery, which sold Gropper's art. Additionally, there are letters concerning William Gropper's participation in the Works Progress Administration. Correspondence from 1935 documents Gropper's contributions to
See Appendix for a list of selected correspondents from Series 5
Correspondence is arranged chronogically.
Although this index is not comprehensive, an effort has been made to highlight the major artists, museums and galleries with which William and Sophie Gropper corresponded.
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
Correspondence
This series includes full issues of magazines illustrated by William Gropper including
This series is arranged by type of materials. Clippings from magazines illustrated by Gropper have been filed before folders containing full issues of
Auction Catalogs
Auction Catalogs
Stationary and Enclosures
Clippings
Clippings
Clippings
Oversized material housed in Box 4
Clippings
Clippings
Oversized material housed in Box 4
Clippings
Clippings
Clippings
Oversized material housed in Box 4
Clippings
Clippings
Clippings
Clippings
Clippings
Oversized material housed in Box 4
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Oversized material housed in Box 4
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Exibition Announcements and Catalogs
Blank Greeting Cards
Miscellaneous, Art Related
Order Forms
Collection of United Nations Postage Stamps
Press Releases and Bulletins
Illustrations by Gropper
Oversized material housed in Box 4
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Illustrations by Gropper
Oversized material housed in Box 4
Oversized material housed in Box 4
Oversized material scanned with Box 1, Folders 45 and 47, and Box 2, Folders 1 and 6
Oversized material scanned with Box 2, Folder 14
Oversized material scanned with Box 2, Folder 26, and Box 3, Folder 10
Oversized material scanned with Box 3, Folder 11
This series includes photographs of William Gropper, his family, colleagues and friends. Additionally, there are photographs of works of art, slides from family vacations, negatives and duplicates.
William Gropper
William Gropper
William Gropper
William Gropper with Family
Gropper Family
Gropper Family
Gropper Family Vacations
Social Functions
Colleagues and Friends
Works of Art,
Works of Art, Murals
Works of Art, Stained Glass
Miscellaneous