John Sloan was an American painter, etcher, and a key figure in the early 20th-century art movement known as the Ashcan School. Initially a successful newspaper illustrator, he moved to New York City and joined a group of like-minded artists known as The Eight, who focused on capturing the raw, gritty realities of urban life. Sloan is celebrated for his realistic and sympathetic portrayals of working-class people and the vibrant street life of New York City, though he also painted landscapes, particularly during summers in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Both his prints and paintings can be found in many major museums including the Whitney, the Smithsonian and the Met.