The Soul of the City: The Life and Legacy of Raphael Soyer In the bustling, often indifferent landscape of twentieth-century New York, few artists captured the quiet, melancholic pulse of urban humanity as tenderly as Raphael Soyer. Born in 1899 in Borisoglebsk, Russia, Soyer’s journey was one defined by migration, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the representational truth. Alongside his identical twin brother, Moses, Raphael was raised in a household where intellect and artistry were paramount. His father, Abraham, a Hebrew scholar and teacher, fostered an environment of deep ac…