
At the Ball
1968 · Drypoint on white wove paper
Plate: 12.2 × 17.2 cm (4 13/16 × 6 13/16 in.); Sheet: 28 × 36.2 cm (11 1/16 × 14 5/16 in.)
Art Institute of Chicago

Jack Levine was an American painter known for densely layered figurative works that combined social critique with expressionist technique. Working primarily in oil on canvas from the 1930s onward, he developed a satirical visual language to address corruption, hypocrisy, and power imbalances in American institutional life. His paintings employ garish color, distorted proportions, and crowded compositions to indict lawyers, politicians, and clergy. Levine's work bridges social realism and expressionism, treating political subjects with both moral urgency and formal invention.
Source: Moma Bulk 2026 05 04 · Trust score: 92% · Updated 25d ago