Herman Rose, an etcher and painter, was born in Brooklyn, New York and began his studies at the National Academy of Design in Manhattan. During the Depression, he was employed in the Mural and Easel divisions of the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) program in New York, serving as assistant to Arshile Gorky. He taught at Brooklyn College, The New School of Social Research, Hoftra College, and the University of Virginia. His work has been widely exhibited at venues including the Museum of Modern Art and The Whitney Museum. He was elected to the National Academy of Design, and has received numerous awards.