Alice Neel (1900–1984) was an American portrait artist known for her raw, emotional depictions of people, often focusing on the marginalized. Born in Pennsylvania, she studied art at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, where she won awards for portrait painting. She married Cuban artist Carlos Enríquez and had two daughters, though her family life was marked by personal loss, including the death of her daughter Santillana. Neel had several significant relationships, including with singer José Negron, and later with Sam Brody, with whom she had a son.

Her career flourished with exhibitions in the 1940s and 1950s, despite challenges, including FBI surveillance for her involvement with the Communist Party. Neel gained recognition in the 1970s, including the International Women’s Year Award in 1976. She had a retrospective at the Whitney Museum in 1974 and continued to be active in the art world, even appearing on The Tonight Show in 1984. Diagnosed with cancer that year, Neel passed away on October 13, 1984, leaving behind a lasting legacy as a pioneering figure in portraiture and women’s rights.

Alice Neel

American

Main

Artist

Printer

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Portrait of Hartley Stockton Neel