In the 1980s William Levitt Jr. worked on a cycle of painting series depicting ritual activities of contemporary society. These include narrative subjects such as Beauty Parlors, Religious Services, and Professional Wrestling.

Lucha Libre is the term used in Mexico for professional wrestling, meaning “freestyle wrestling” or literally, “free fight”. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form of the genre, characterized by colorful masks, and rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers. The wearing of masks has developed special significance, and matches are sometimes contested in which the loser must permanently remove his mask, which is a wager with a high degree of weight attached. Lucha libre wrestlers are known as luchadores. They usually come from extended wrestling families who form their own stables.

William Levitt Jr., Bill, was born in Columbus GA in 1941 and grew up in Macon attending Lanier High School. At the age of 10, he became a student of Lucile Blanch, a post-war abstract expressionist of note and painting professor at Mercer University. Sensing how serious William was as an art student, Ms. Blanch suggested he spend summers studying at the Woodstock NY Art Colony which he did from the age of 16. While there he met many prominent and influential artists of the day. He studied painting and philosophy earning a BFA at the University of Pennsylvania, an MFA from Cranbrook Academy, and a PhD in Art History from the University of Chicago with a specialty in Asian Art. He was the Chair of the Art Department at Wagner College, finally settling in Red Hook, NY. He also taught at the CG Jung Foundation, Parsons, the New School, and for the Life Long Learning Center at Bard College. He was a member of the Hudson Valley Painters. William retired to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico with his husband John and died of complications from Lyme disease in 2015.