A painter, muralist, etcher and educator, Frank Van Sloun, living in San Francisco, became especially noted for his murals and for being the principal West Coast exponent of Social Realism. Described as being a painter of "contemporary, raw, hearty figure pieces and urban scenes" (Gerdts 282), Van Sloun learned about Social Realism in New York City under the tutelage of Robert Henri and other members of the Ashcan School.

During his career, Van Sloun experimented with a variety of styles and mediums including Impressionism, Realism, Pointillism and pastel, oil, tempera, watercolor, gouache, monotypes and etchings. The artist was also highly respected for his teaching abilities, and is credited with bringing the credo "art for art's s...