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The 18 Most Famous Anton Refregier Paintings, Each One of a Kind
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 18 works by Anton Refregier in our catalogue
In short
First Color Study, Exhibition Hall, Community Center, New York World's Fair (perspective sketch for mural, Cultural Activities in the WPA, WPA Building) (1938) is the Anton Refregier painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.. After it, the eye goes to Untitled (detail of figure historic survey panel, mural study, Cultural Activities of the WPA, WPA Building, New York World's Fair, 1939) (1939) and for I say at the core of democracy, finally, is the religious element. All the religions, old and new, are there. Walt Whitman, Democratic Vistas, 1871. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man (1957). Among the 18 works of Anton Refregier in our catalog, these 18 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
1905 – 1979
Social realism
Most works: Library of Congress
1. First Color Study, Exhibition Hall, Community Center, New York World's Fair (perspective sketch for mural, Cultural Activities in the WPA, WPA Building) 1938
2. Untitled (detail of figure historic survey panel, mural study, Cultural Activities of the WPA, WPA Building, New York World's Fair, 1939) 1939
3. for I say at the core of democracy, finally, is the religious element. All the religions, old and new, are there. Walt Whitman, Democratic Vistas, 1871. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man 1957
Top 10 paintings by Anton Refregier, through the gallery's eye
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Anton Refregier's famous paintings, numbers 11 to 18
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Untitled (AQRPGF)2012 · Library of Congress
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Untitled (AQRPGP)2012 · Library of Congress
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Untitled (AQRPGZ)2012 · Library of Congress
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Untitled (AQRPGK)2012 · Library of Congress
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Untitled (AQRPGV)2012 · Library of Congress
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Untitled (AQRPGT)2012 · Library of Congress
17History of San Francisco mural Beating the Chinese by at Rincon Annex Post Office located near the Embarcadero at 101 Spear Street, San Francisco, California2012 · Library of Congress
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History of San Francisco (Refregier murals)1941
Untitled (AQRPGF)2012 · Library of Congress
12Untitled (AQRPGP)2012 · Library of Congress
13Untitled (AQRPGZ)2012 · Library of Congress
14Untitled (AQRPGK)2012 · Library of Congress
15Untitled (AQRPGV)2012 · Library of Congress
16Untitled (AQRPGT)2012 · Library of Congress
17History of San Francisco mural Beating the Chinese by at Rincon Annex Post Office located near the Embarcadero at 101 Spear Street, San Francisco, California2012 · Library of Congress
18History of San Francisco (Refregier murals)1941
The subjects that held Anton Refregier's eye
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
American history 2 works
Wpa art project 2 works
Group portraiture 2 works
The museums that keep Anton Refregier's originals
The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Anton Refregier | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Library of Congress |
Washington, D.C. | 14 | Untitled (AQRPH5), Untitled (AQRPH3), Untitled (AQRPGD) |
 Smithsonian American Art Museum |
Washington, D.C. | 2 | First Color Study, Exhibition Hall, Community Center, New York World's Fair (perspective sketch for mural, Cultural Activities in the WPA, WPA Building), Untitled (detail of figure historic survey panel, mural study, Cultural Activities of the WPA, WPA Building, New York World's Fair, 1939) |
Anton Refregier across the decades: one unique original for each
Works per decade
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Anton Refregier's paintings: questions for the gallery
What is the single most famous work of Anton Refregier?Reveal the answer
First Color Study, Exhibition Hall, Community Center, New York World's Fair (perspective sketch for mural, Cultural Activities in the WPA, WPA Building) (1938), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.. Untitled (detail of figure historic survey panel, mural study, Cultural Activities of the WPA, WPA Building, New York World's Fair, 1939) (1939) and for I say at the core of democracy, finally, is the religious element. All the religions, old and new, are there. Walt Whitman, Democratic Vistas, 1871. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man (1957) come next.
At what age did Anton Refregier create First Color Study, Exhibition Hall, Community Center, New York World's Fair (perspective sketch for mural, Cultural Activities in the WPA, WPA Building)?Reveal the answer
33 years old: First Color Study, Exhibition Hall, Community Center, New York World's Fair (perspective sketch for mural, Cultural Activities in the WPA, WPA Building) dates from 1938, and Anton Refregier was born in 1905.
Which ten paintings by Anton Refregier are the most famous?Reveal the answer
First Color Study, Exhibition Hall, Community Center, New York World's Fair (perspective sketch for mural, Cultural Activities in the WPA, WPA Building), Untitled (detail of figure historic survey panel, mural study, Cultural Activities of the WPA, WPA Building, New York World's Fair, 1939), for I say at the core of democracy, finally, is the religious element. All the religions, old and new, are there. Walt Whitman, Democratic Vistas, 1871. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man, Untitled (AQRPH5), Untitled (AQRPH3), Untitled (AQRPGD), Untitled (AQRPGR), Untitled (AQRPH7), Untitled (AQRPGM) and Untitled (AQRPGX). The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
How many works by Anton Refregier are known?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 18 works by Anton Refregier, dated from 1938 to 1957.
Where can the most famous Anton Refregier originals be seen?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Library of Congress (Washington, D.C.) and Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, D.C.). The museum table above lists them all.
During which period did Anton Refregier create the best-known paintings?Reveal the answer
In 1930s: 2 of the 18 works on this page were made then, First Color Study, Exhibition Hall, Community Center, New York World's Fair (perspective sketch for mural, Cultural Activities in the WPA, WPA Building) among them.
Which famous Anton Refregier painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is First Color Study, Exhibition Hall, Community Center, New York World's Fair (perspective sketch for mural, Cultural Activities in the WPA, WPA Building) (1938) and the latest for I say at the core of democracy, finally, is the religious element. All the religions, old and new, are there. Walt Whitman, Democratic Vistas, 1871. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man (1957).
What subjects did Anton Refregier favour?Reveal the answer
American history (2), Wpa art project (2) and Group portraiture (2), across the 18 works on this page.
Which movement does the work of Anton Refregier belong to?Reveal the answer
Social realism, judging by the originals on this page.
What Anton Refregier originals can I see at the Library of Congress?Reveal the answer
Untitled (AQRPH5), Untitled (AQRPH3) and Untitled (AQRPGD): the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. holds 14 of the works on this page.
Anton Refregier: a portrait of the artist
A Visionary of Social Realism and San Francisco’s History
Anton Refregier stands as a monumental figure in the tapestry of American art history, a painter whose brushstrokes captured the very soul and struggle of a nation in transition. Born in Moscow on March 20, 1905, Refregier’s journey was one of profound migration and cultural synthesis. Emigrating to the United States in 1920, he brought with him a perspective shaped by the vastness of his origins and a hunger for the artistic possibilities of his adopted home. His early years were defined by a rigorous pursuit of mastery, beginning with a transformative scholarship to the Rhode Island School of Design in 1921. This formal training provided him with a classical foundation, yet it was his later encounters with the avant-garde that would truly ignite his creative spirit.
The trajectory of Refregier’s career was marked by an extraordinary ability to blend meticulous craftsmanship with the raw, emotive power of modern movements. In New York City during the mid-1920s, he honed a delicate skill for replicating the works of masters such as François Boucher and Jean-Honoré Fragonard, an endeavor that instilled in him a deep reverence for artistic heritage. However, his 1927 travels to Munich introduced him to the burgeoning influences of Abstract Expressionism under the legendary mentorship of Hans Hofmann. This exposure to more fluid, expressive forms allowed Refregier to expand his stylistic horizons, ensuring that even his most grounded social realist works possessed a dynamic, modern vitality.
The Pulse of the Great Depression and the WPA
As the shadows of the Great Depression descended upon America, Refregier’s art found its true purpose. Living within the Mount Airy Artists' Colony in Croton-on-Hudson, he became a witness to the widespread hardships of the era. This period of economic upheaval deeply informed his humanist philosophy; he famously observed that as people grew poorer in possessions, they became poorer in their ability to enjoy life. This empathy for the common man became the heartbeat of his work. Through the auspices of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project, Refregier found a platform to translate these societal struggles into large-scale narratives that demanded public attention.
His involvement with the WPA allowed him to move beyond the canvas and onto the walls of the American landscape. His work during this time was characterized by Social Realism, a movement dedicated to portraying everyday life and systemic injustices with unflinching accuracy. He eschewed the comforts of romanticized imagery, choosing instead to present scenes of labor, displacement, and community strength. This commitment to truth-telling through art solidified his reputation as an artist who did not merely observe history but actively participated in its documentation.
The Legacy of the Rincon Center Murals
Perhaps Refregier’s most enduring achievement is the monumental mural series, The History of San Francisco. Commissioned in 1941 and executed between 1940 and 1948, this sprawling epic consists of twenty-seven panels located within the Rincon Annex Post Office. Using casein tempera on white gesso over plaster, Refregier created a visceral narrative that spans centuries of the city's complex evolution. The scale of the work—covering over 2,457 square feet—is matched only by its emotional depth and historical bravery.
The murals are celebrated for their stark honesty, particularly in their depiction of San Francisco’s fraught relationship with marginalized communities. One of the most poignant and unsettling panels portrays the 1877 anti-Chinese Sand Lot riots, capturing a moment of intense violence and injustice with a muted palette of browns, grays, and ochres. Yet, within this grit, Refregier utilized strategic bursts of red and yellow to punctuate moments of profound symbolic significance. This series was not without controversy; in the 1950s, it faced congressional scrutiny over themes deemed inconsistent with certain American ideals, yet the murals survived as a testament to the artist's courage.
Refregier’s life and work represent a bridge between the classical traditions of Europe and the gritty, democratic spirit of mid-century America. His ability to weave together personal experience, historical record, and social critique ensures that his legacy remains as vibrant and essential today as it was during the height of the WPA era.