Philip Pearlstein was born in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1924. A promising artist from a young age, he won first prize in Scholastic Magazine's 14th National High School Art Exhibition. He began his studies at the Carnegie Institute of Technology but, upon being drafted into WWII, had to take a leave of absence. It was during his time in the army that Pearlstein first became interested in the figurative work that would come to define his signature style. Given his lack of combat experience, he was assigned to be a sign painter with an engineering unit that was rebuilding roads. He called this period “a terrific visual arts education.” This experience converged with a stark understanding of how war can change a physical body. According to Pearlstein, “the body became the main element for me, not just a picturesque object stuck in the middle of a painting.”

Pearlstein eventually returned to Carnegie and received his BFA in 1949. Upon moving to New York, he began working as a graphic designer but quickly achieved recognition for his paintings. In 1952, Pearlstein had his first public showing in a group exhibition at the Tanager Gallery and was included in numerous group shows until his first solo show, also at Tanager, in 1955. That same year, he received his Master's degree from the Institute of Fine arts at NYU with a thesis on Francis Picabia.

Around 1958, when he was awarded a Fulbright grant that allowed him to spend a year in Italy, Pearlstein’s artistic focus had deviated fully from the more popular abstract expressionism he once subscribed to. He had become fascinated with how the nude figure could be used to explore composition and visual tension within a painting. It was this aesthetically innovative mindset that made Pearlstein the center of many gallery and museum shows throughout the late 20th century, including a retrospective that traveled around the country in 1983 and 1984.

Pearlstein’s process revolved around painting from life, setting up his models with props and furniture from his studio. Various objects including pop memorabilia, nostalgic knickknacks, and cultural artifacts adorn his compositions, providing textural variety and intrigue while serving as a visual counterpoint to the figures. He painted figures as he saw them, not idealizing the body but rather embracing its imperfections and transformations throughout a model’s sitting. Sometimes features are distorted or foreshortened, challenging the viewer’s perception while still resulting in a harmonious composition. Thus, he manages to make figure painting from life an undoubtedly modern pursuit.

Besides being a prolific painter and a central figure in the reemergence of Realism, Pearlstein was a frequent contributor to major art journals. He was also a dedicated teacher for decades at universities including Pratt Institute, Boston University, and Brooklyn College. He received grants, fellowships, and honorary doctorates from distinguished institutions, even serving as President of the American Academy of Arts and Letters from 2003-2006. After a long career marked by enduring artistic innovation, he passed away in New York City, in December 2022.