A satirical oil painting of old men in Congress, one standing and giving a dramatic speech.

William Gropper: Truth, Beauty, Justice, Humor

July 25, 2025–January 25, 2026

Lockhart Gallery

Political cartoonist and painter William Gropper (1897–1977) spoke truth to power. While his satiric and piercing wit targeted powerful men in politics and finance, he was an advocate for the people, saving his admiration and respect for the American worker. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, his biting political cartoons appeared in popular publications like Vanity Fair and the New York Tribune as well as radical journals like New Masses.

A satirical oil painting of old men in congress, one standing and giving a dramatic speech.
The Opposition, 1942
William Gropper
Oil on canvas. Marion Stratton Gould Fund, 1951.5. Courtesy: ACA Galleries, NY and the William Gropper Estate

With paintings, drawings, and prints from the permanent collection, William Gropper: Truth, Beauty, Justice, Humor highlights what the artist’s critical eye and mind captured during four decades of his career.

Exhibition Sponsors

Contributing Sponsor

MAG Council logo. Volunteers supporting MAG.

Memorial Art Gallery Endowed Fund Support
Dr. and Mrs. James H. Lockhart, Jr. Fund

Featured Image CreditWilliam Gropper, The Opposition (detail), 1942. Oil on canvas. Marion Stratton Gould Fund, 1951.5. Courtesy: ACA Galleries, NY and the William Gropper Estate

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