Wpa Era Impressionist Oil Painting by Philip Krevoruck

Philip Krevoruck 1919-1999 an accomplished WPA artist .

A Gritty atmospheric Bar Scene from a bygone era . Oil on board painted during the 1940s

Dimensions: 32cm x 28cm including frame

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was an ambitious employment and infrastructure program created by President Roosevelt in 1935, during the bleakest years of the Great Depression. Over its eight years of existence, the WPA put roughly 8.5 million Americans to work

Philip Krevoruck was born January 26, 1919 in Fitchburg, MA, the youngest of 4 children. His older siblings were Sarah, Florence, and Saul. Krevoruck’s father, Jacob Krevoruck, was born in Russia, spoke Yiddish, and emigrated to the US in 1903. Jacob ran a kosher butcher shop in Fitchburg which was located near the synagogue, but he died only one year after Philip was born. Philip’s mother, Sophie, was also born in Russia and lived until

Krevoruck completed 4 years of college prior to WWII and taught art. In the late 1930’s, when he was only 20 years old, Krevoruck was employed by the WPA art program. During this time he lived with his sister Sarah’s family and brother-in-law, Benjamin Schweitzer.

Krevoruck served in the army during WWII. After the war he attained a Masters of Arts in Education from Columbia University Teacher’s College, graduating in 1949. Immediately after graduation he taught art at Haldane central School in Cold Spring, NY, and also taught art at Long Island University.

Krevoruck lived and taught in China for several years in the early 1950's, delivering reverent portraits of Chinese people and culture previously hidden from the West.”[2]

After his return from China Philip moved back to Fitchburg. In 1954 he was teaching art at the Fitchburg Art Center, and in 1955 he was teaching art at Leominster High School.

During the 50’s and 60’s he exhibited his art work on many occasions, including exhibits at the Fitchburg Art Museum. Krevoruck was “well versed in a variety of extraordinary styles. Particularly known for his WPA subjects,

Krevoruck's work revealed a realistic portrayal of American life, exposing the true conditions of the urban city, industrial work environments and the everyday scenes of working class Americans.” Krevoruck’s late work shifted toward expressionism and abstraction.

Krevoruck died on March 24, 1999 in Long Beach, New York.

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