Famous Artist Birthdays

September 18, 2016/Robin Rile

Have you ever wanted a mini Art History lesson every day? Our Famous Artist Birthdays compilation gives you the highlights of some of the world’s most accomplished artists and explores some of their most famous works and stylistic attributes. For those of us heavily immersed in the arts, and for those of us who just seek to learn a bit more about some of the world’s most renown artists, we have compiled a calendar of notable artists and some of their most seminal works for your enjoyment. The calendar will grow each month with new additions, so stay tuned for updates on our social media pages!

Be sure to like us on Facebook at Robin Rile Fine Art, follow us on Instagram at @robin_rile_fine_art, and on Twitter at @Art_Dealer_Diva for daily updates! To use any of these fantastic images check out our Pinterest boards such as our 20th Century Master’s Board which includes all of the pictures on this post!

https://www.pinterest.com/robinrile/20th-century-masters/

May:

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner German Printmaker Painter — Pictured: Photographic self-portrait 1919 (Left) and Street, Berlin (1913) (Right)

May 6
Happy Birthday to Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, born on May 6th in 1880 in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria! After first studying architecture at the Dresden Technical High School in 1901, Kirchner decided to devote himself entirely to art. Kirchner was a leading German Expressionist painter and print maker of the 19th century, as well as one of the founding members of Die Brücke or “The Bridge”, which was pivotal in the formation and expansion of Expressionism both in Europe and America. He is also known as one of the foremost “degenerate” artists as classified by the Nazis, and had over 600 works destroyed in 1937–just one year before his death. In the midst of modernity, Kirchner and the other artists of Die Brücke tried to reconcile the anxieties of modern life and development with humankind’s overall place in the world–thus forming a “bridge” between past and present. Kirchner, Heckel, and other members of the group became enamored with Primitivism as a way to express these ideas, leading to a severity of style which lent itself particularly well to printmaking. His emotive works can be seen as a direct response to many other artistic luminaries such as the graphic works of Albrecht Dürer and the color palette of Fauvist artists such as Henri Matisse. Kirchner transformed these ideas into opportunities for dynamic compositional arrangements and modernized variations of line.

Kirchner Print — Old Woman and Young Woman ( Alte und Junge Frau ) 1921

Dancers Kirchner Drawing Die Bruke — Dancers ( Tänzerinnen ), 1906, Ink on paper

Marzella Kirchner Painting — Marzella 1909-1910

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Self-Portrait as a Soldier, 1915, oil on canvas

Street Berlin Kirchner Painting — Street, Berlin (1913)

Salvador Dali Spanish Painter — Pictured: Photograph of Salvador Dali (Left) and Persistence of Memory, 1931 (Right)

May 11
Happy Birthday to Salvador Dali, born on May 11 in 1904! Recognized as the premier artist of the Surrealist Movement, artist Salvador Dali has transcended more media, genres and decades than most of his contemporaries, influencing how we go about creating and perceiving art, architecture, literature, television, movies, fashion, advertising, branding and marketing, luxury, motivation and public personas. Virtually every aspect of modern life has been touched by this artist. After all, where would Lady Gaga be if not for Dali? Dali took “Surrealism” and applied it to his art school teachings, developing not, “Surrealistic” painting per se, but what we have come to think of as the quintessential visualization of what it meant to be “Surreal”. The melted clocks, the crutches, the ants and visions of Millet’s Angelus, all juxtaposed with rocky and desolate images of his youth in Eastern Spain. “Instead of stubbornly attempting to use surrealism for purposes of subversion,” he notes. “It is necessary to try to make of surrealism something as solid, complete and classic as the works of museums.” His symbols and double entendres are left for scholars to debate meanings of like the sonnets of Shakespeare or the prophesies of Nostradamus. However, the undeniable beauty and virtuosity in varied media provided us with a prodigious catalogue for which to develop our thoughts about what “Surreal” looked like and how it made us feel.

Homage to Crick and Watson Salvador Dali — Galacidalacidesoxyribonucleicacid, also known as Homage to Crick and Watson (Discoverers of DNA), 1963

Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Dali Painting — Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening by Salvador Dali, 1944

Swans Reflecting Elephants Dali — Swans Reflecting Elephants, 1937

Salvador Dali Ocelot — Photograph of Salvador Dali

Surrealist Cubist Angels Dali — Surrealist and Cubist Angels

The Ecumenical Council Salvador Dali — The Ecumenical Council, 1960

The Persistence of Memory Salvador Dali — The Persistence of Memory, 1931

Jasper Johns Painter American Flag — Pictured: Photograph of Jasper Johns (Left) and Three Flags, 1958 (Right)

May 15
Happy Birthday Jasper Johns, born on May 15th in 1930! Johns was born in Augusta, Georgia and spent most of his youth growing up in rural South Carolina. After studying briefly at the University of South Carolina and Parsons, Johns left school and was drafted into the Korean War–serving for two years. In 1953 Johns returned to New York City where he met Robert Rauschenberg. The two were heavily influenced by the work of Marcel Duchamp, and Duchamp even visited the artist’s studio in 1957–allowing Johns to merge influences from both the American and European avant-garde. In 1958 after being introduced to Leo Castelli, Johns had his first solo show and exhibited his well-known “Flag (1955)”. The solo show as well as the rest of John’s most well-known works dealt heavily with themes of semiotics and semiology with symbolic images such as the flag. In 1963, Johns and longtime friend John Cage founded Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts, currently the Foundation for Contemporary Arts in New York City. Johns currently lives between Sharon, Connecticut, and the island of Saint Martin and is represented by the Matthew Marks Gallery in New York.

Target with Four Faces Jasper Johns — Target with Four Faces, 1958 by Jasper Johns

Painted Bronze Jasper Johns — Painted Bronze, 1960

Jasper Johns Crosshatch — Between the Clock and the Bed, 1981 (encaustic on canvas; 6’6″ x 10’6″)

Three Flags Jasper Johns — Three Flags, 1958 by Jasper Johns

White Numbers Jasper Johns — White Numbers 1957 New York, MoMA

Albrecht Dürer Painter Printmaker — Pictured: Self-Portrait at 28, 1500 (Left) and Melencolia I 1514 (Right)

May 21
Happy Birthday to Albrecht Dürer, born on May 21 in 1471! Dürer was born in Nuremberg in the Holy Roman Empire during the High Renaissance. Dürer was a multi-talented individual and is known as a prominent painter, printmaker, engraver, and theorist. He is credited with the introduction of many classical motifs into the Northern Germanic vernacular, as well as one becoming one of Europe’s first landscape artists as revealed by his watercolors. His numerous treatises reveal a keen interest in scientific principles such as perspective, mathematics, and proportion which are aptly reflected in his highly detailed and meticulous works. After brief training as a goldsmith under his father, Dürer began to pursue rigorous training in visual arts. His travels to Italy and the Netherlands expanded his perspective and allowed for a blending of both German and Italian styles. His impact on the global art tradition is immeasurable, especially in the realm of printmaking where he truly exploited the potentials of the medium.

The Large Piece of Turf Albrecht Dürer — The Large Piece of Turf, 1503

The Four Horsemen Woodcut — The Four Horsemen, from The Apocalypse, 1498 woodcut

Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman, 1505, Oil on panel,Kunsthistorisches Museum

Rhinoceros Albrecht Dürer — Rhinoceros, 1515, woodcut

Self-Portrait Albrecht Dürer — Self-Portrait at 28, 1500

Dorothea Lange Migrant Mother photography — Pictured: Photograph of Dorothea Lange (Left) and Migrant Mother (Right)

May 26
Happy Birthday Dorothea Lange, born on May 26th in 1895! Lange is best recognized for her documentary photography work during the Depression era for the Farm Security Administration. Works such as “Migrant Mother”, pictured here, became a rallying call for aid and awareness of depression plight. The photo won her the Guggenheim prize in 1941, and her strikingly human studies continue to resonate in the present day.

Dorothea Lange Photograph — Dorothea Lange atop automobile in California

Dorothea Lange Photography — Childhood Interrupted: Sick migrant child, Washington, Yakima valley, Toppenish

In the Fields Dorothea Lange — In the Fields: Carrot pullers from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Mexico. Coachella Valley, California. “We come from all states and we can’t make a dollar a day in this field noways. Working from seven in the morning till twelve noon we earn an average of thirty five cents.”

Migrant worker Dorothea Lange Photography — Enduring Life: Migrant worker on California highway

Salute of Innocence Dorothea Lange, [Children of the Weill public school]

Alexander Archipenko Painting — Pictured: Miserere (plate 33): et Veroniqué au tendre lin, passé encore sur le chemin… (and Veronica, with her soft linen, still walks the road…), 1922 (Left) and Photograph of Georges Rouault (Right)

May 27
Happy Birthday Georges Rouault, born on May 27th in 1871! The French artist experimented greatly with styles such as Fauvism, Expressionism, and Primitivism. His exaggerated style and embrace of the grotesque influenced later groundbreaking artists such as Vincent Van Gogh.

Bathing in a Lake Georges Rouault — Bathing in a Lake 1907

Georges Rouault Circus Gir — Georges Rouault, Circus Girl, 1906, Gouache, watercolor, ink, and pastel

Miserere Georges Rouault — Miserere (plate 33): et Veroniqué au tendre lin, passé encore sur le chemin… (and Veronica, with her soft linen, still walks the road…), 1922

Veronica Georges Rouault — Veronica 1945

Mythical Landscape Rouault Painting — Mythical Landscape (Paysage légendaire) 1936

Alexander Archipenko Sculpture — Pictured: Statuette 1916 (Left) and Photograph of Archipenko (Right)

May 30
Happy Birthday Alexander Archipenko, born on May 30th in 1887! The Ukranian-born Archipenko traveled to the epicenters of art in both Paris and New York, influencing others with his distinctively cubist style of sculpture and graphic art. His cubist sculptures appeared in the groundbreaking 1913 Armory Show and in the Ukrainian pavilion at the 1933 World’s Fair. “Statuette” (1916), shows the innovative ways with which Archipenko envisioned the human form.

Aleksandr Archipenko, Woman Combing Her Hair, 1915

Alexander Archipenko Cleopatra 1957, wood, bakelite and found objects 38 in. x 84 in. (96.5 x 213.3 cm)

Alexander Archipenko Women Drawing — Alexander Archipenko, Women IV, watercolor and graphite on paper, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum

Alexander Archipenko Adam and Eve Sculpture — Alexander Archipenko: Adam and Eve (1908)

Ellsworth Kelly painting — Pictured: “Colors on a Grid” (1976) (Left) and Photograph of Ellsworth Kelly (Right)

May 31

Happy Birthday Ellsworth Kelly, born on May 31st in 1923! Kelly was a renowned American painter, sculptor, and printmaker most commonly associated with the minimalist movement. His works are easily identified by their bright colors and hard edges. Works such as “Colors on a Grid” (1976), a lithograph from LACMA’s collection, show the imaginative and pioneering efforts Kelly exerted into abstraction. Kelly’s simplicity of form and shaped canvases foster an enduring interest in his works.

Ellsworth Kelly Sculpture for a Large Wall — Ellsworth Kelly. Sculpture for a Large Wall (detail). 1957. Anodized aluminum

Ellsworth Kelly Spectrum Colors Arranged by Chance II, 1951, Collage on paper

Ellsworth Kelly Locust Drawing — Ellsworth Kelly, Locust (Acacia), 1965-1966. Lithograph on Rives BFK paper, 24 x 35 3/8 inches. Edition of 75

June:

Diego Velázquez Painting — **Pictured: Self-portrait, c.1640 (Left) and Las Meninas 1656 (Right)**

June 6
Happy Birthday Diego Velázquez, baptized on June 6 in 1599. Born in Seville, Velázquez was one of the foremost painters of the Spanish Golden Age, becoming an important artist in the court of King Philip IV. Working both as a contemporary Baroque painter and a portrait artist, Velázquez left a considerable legacy that influenced both Realist and Impressionist artists such as Manet. His generous funding by the court allowed him to travel to Italy where his style developed into the mature period which produced some of his finest works including “Las Meninas”, an incredible foray into the possibilities of perspective. Artists such as Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon, and Pablo Picasso have recreated some of his most famous works as both homage and pastiche. It is undeniable that Diego Velázquez is one of the world’s most influential painters whose legacy has continued today.

Las Meninas Diego Velázquez Painting — Las Meninas 1656

Equestrian Portrait Diego Velázquez — Equestrian Portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares 1634

Diego Velázquez Portrait Painting — Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Blue Dress 1659

Philip IV of Spain Velázquez — Philip IV of Spain 1644

Velázquez "Portrait of Pope Innocent X" 1650 (Left) Francis Bacon "After Velázquez" 1953 (Right) — Velázquez “Portrait of Pope Innocent X” 1650 (Left) Francis Bacon “After Velázquez” 1953 (Right)

Paul Gauguin Painting — Pictured: Self-Portrait with Yellow Christ (Left) and The Yellow Christ (Right)

June 7
Happy Birthday to Paul Gauguin, born on June 7 in 1848! Born in Paris, Gauguin went on to become one of the most well-known French artists of his day, and a leading figure in French post-impressionism. Despite his works of post-impressionist inclinations, his color palette and methods of expressiveness lead the Symbolist movement to be greatly influenced by his style. Despite being a celebrated painter, Gauguin was a sculptor, printmaker, and ceramicist. After his work in France–some of which was alongside Vincent Van Gogh–Gauguin abandoned Western civilization (and his family) to immerse himself in the culture of the South Pacific. This lead to an interest and stylistic development in Primitivism, influenced by his exposure to the arts of Asia, Africa, and the South Pacific. Gauguin explored a number of religious themes in his works, which reflects his belief in painting as a meditation upon human life, fulfillment, and spirituality. Gauguin is an excellent example of a figure who was progressively rooted in the traditions of post-impressionism, yet experimental enough to serve as a beacon to those who would further abstraction in the future.

Paul Gauguin Self-Portrait — Self-Portrait with Portrait of Émile Bernard (Les misérables) 1888

Vision After the Sermon Painting — Vision After the Sermon 1888

Paul Gauguin Famous Painting — Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going? 1897

Tahitian Landscape Gauguin — Tahitian Landscape 1891

Spirit of the Dead Watching Gauguin — Spirit of the Dead Watching (Manao tupapau) 1892

Andre Derain Fauvism — Pictured: Self-portrait in studio, c.1903, oil on canvas, 42.2 x 34.6 cm, National Gallery of Australia (Left) and André Derain, 1906, Charing Cross Bridge, London, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (Right)

June 10
Happy Birthday André Derain, born on June 10 1880! Derain is best-known for co-founding the movement of Fauvism with Henri Matisse. A celebrated painter and sculptor, Derain dedicated himself to painting with the help of Matisse who convinced his parents to allow him to abandon his engineering career. After working with Matisse in the Mediterranean village of Collioure, the artists submitted their works to the Salon d’Automne where their works were called “les fauves” or “wild beasts” because of the vivacity of color. Derain’s late works moved towards a new classicism which constituted a more austere palette and a direct reflection of his studies of the Old Masters. Derain also designed the ballet “La Boutique Fantasque” for Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes which opened to a groundbreaking success, and lead to his design of numerous other ballets. His legacy opened a entirely new dialogue on the use of color for expression and composition.

Banks of Seine Derain Painting — Banks of Seine 1905

The Bridge View On The River Derain — The Bridge, View On The River 1905

Charing Cross Bridge Derain — 1906, Charing Cross Bridge, London, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

The Dance Derain Painting — The Dance 1906

Portrait Of A Man With A Newspaper Painting — Portrait Of A Man With A Newspaper 1913

The Painter And His Family Derain — The Painter And His Family 1939

Pictured: Photograph of Jim Dine (Left) and Four Hearts 1969 (Right)

June 16
Happy Birthday Jim Dine born on June 16th 1935! Jim Dine is an American Pop Artist who gained recognition in multiple mediums spanning everything from sculpture to painting. His participation in the “Happenings” with artists such as John Cage and Claes Oldenburg made him notorious and a figure in the Neo-Dada movement as well. Shown here is “Four Hearts” located in the Tate Museum in England.

Five Paintbrushes Jim Dine — Five Paintbrushes (fourth state), 1973

Jim Dine Sculpture Hearts — “Ex Voto” by Jim Dine, 2002. Bronze

The Woodcut Bathrobe Dine — The Woodcut Bathrobe
1975

MC Escher Famous Works — Pictured: Photograph of MC Escher (Left) and “Relativity” (1953) (Right)

June 17
Happy Birthday M.C. Escher born on June 17th in 1898! Maurits Cornelis Escher was a Dutch artist popularly known for his mathematically precise woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints. Escher’s explored theories of mathematics and physics in lithographs such as “Relativity” (1953), shown here, that explores a world in which gravity does not exist.

Day and Night Escher Woodcut — Day and Night
1938 Woodcut in black and grey, printed from 2 blocks. 677mm x 391mm.

Snakes M.C. Escher woodcut — Snakes Woodcut, 1969.

Ascending and Descending Escher — Ascending and Descending 1960

Balcony MC Escher Lithograph — Balcony
1945 Lithograph. 234mm x 297mm.

Peter Paul Rubens Famous Paintings — Pictured: Self-portrait, 1623 (Left) and The Three Graces (Right)

June 28
Happy Birthday Peter Paul Rubens, born on June 28th in 1577! Rubens was an acclaimed Flemish Baroque painter who is best known for his Counter-Reformation works of art which include altarpieces, landscapes, portraits, history and mythological paintings. In addition to being a successful artist, Rubens was a humanist scholar as well as a knighted diplomat. Although his history paintings as perhaps the most numerous of his commissions, his series of nude paintings gave birth to the term “Rubenesque” to describe the full-figured, overtly sexualized, and flagrantly baroque depictions of women. Rubens’s busy studio produced a prolific amount of works, and his sensuous use of color and movement are celebrated to this day.

The Judgment of Paris Rubens — The Judgment of Paris (1630s)

The Birth of the Milky Way Rubens — The Birth of the Milky Way, 1636-1637

The Fall of Phaeton Rubens Painting — The Fall of Phaeton 1604/1605

Venus, Cupid, Baccchus and Ceres Rubens — Venus, Cupid, Baccchus and Ceres, 1612

The Descent from the Cross Rubens — The Descent from the Cross 1612-1614

Frida Kahlo Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured is “Frida Kahlo”, by Guillermo Kahlo (left) and “Self-Portrait With Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird”, by Frida Kahlo 1940 (right).

July:

July 6

Happy Birthday Frida Kahlo born on July 6th in 1907! Kahlo was a Mexican artist known as one of the most influential figures of her time, becoming an iconic figure both in the Mexican, feminist, and art histories. Her work often depicts herself in surreal and dreamlike settings and is heralded for its dramatic and unflinching representations of her own experiences.

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera Photograph — Photograph of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera with monkey Fulang Chung in 1937

The Two Fridas Painting — The Two Fridas 1939

Self Portrait Frida Kahlo Painting — Self Portrait As A Tehuana Diego On My Mind 1940-1943

Still Life Frida Kahlo Painting — Still Life With Parrot 1951

Self-portrait Frida Kahlo — Self-portrait in a Velvet Dress 1926

Camille Pissarro Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured is a photograph of Camille Pissarro, c. 1900 (left) and “Le Jardin de Mirbeau aux Damps” by Camille Pissarro,1891 (right).

July 10

Happy Birthday Camille Pissarro born on July 10th in 1830! Pissarro was a renowned Danish-French impressionist and neoimpressionist who made significant contributions to later movements in abstraction. He is best known for his role as the “father figure” within the impressionist circle, and his revolutionary style his canvases that explored both impressionistic techniques and pointillism.

Hoarfrost Pissarro Painting — Hoarfrost 1873

The Boulevard Montmartre Pissaro Painting — The Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning 1897

Bathers Camille Pissarro Painting — Bathers 1896

Pissarro Portrait Painting — Portrait Of Jeanne 1872

Impressionist Painting Famous — Place Du Carrousel, The Tuileries Gardens 1900

Sunrise On The Sea Pissarro — Sunrise On The Sea 1883

Amedeo Modigliani Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured is “Nu Couché” (1917-1918) (bottom) and a photograph of Amedeo Modigliani (top).

July 12

Happy Birthday to Amedeo Modigliani born on July 12th in 1884! Modigliani was an Italian Jewish painter that expanded his ouvre to include many fantastical sculptural works. His iconic stylistic method of elongating faces and figures has found incredible favor in the present day, leading to the sale of his seminal work “Nu Couché” in 2015 for a record breaking $170.4 M to Chinese billionare Liu Yiqian. Modigliani’s works are only growing in their importance and value in the present day.

Young Girl Modigliani Painting — A Young Girl With A Black Overall 1918

Anna Akhmatova Modigliani — Anna Akhmatova 1911

Female Nude Modigliani Painting — Female Nude 1916

Woman Painting Modigliani — Woman With A Black Tie 1917

Gustav Klimt Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured is a photograph of Gustav Klimt (left) and “The Kiss (or Lovers)” (right).

July 14

Happy Birthday Gustav Klimt born on July 14th in 1862! Klimt was an Austrian symbolist painter whose “Golden Phase” brings to mind some of the most renown paintings in popular culture such as “The Kiss” and “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I”. Before the critical success of the Golden Phase, Klimt was an active member of the Vienna Secession movement and was infamous for his controversial paintings of Philosophy, Medicine, and Jurisprudence within the University of Vienna. The paintings were deemed pornographic, and portrayed radical themes that were not in favor at the time. A private man, Klimt avoided societal drama and was highly selective in his choice of patrons. Many of his paintings contain stylistic and symbolic influences from his trips to Ravenna and Venice, and his integration of Byzantine and Egyptian imagery allows for an unparalleled depth of meaning in his canvases.

Adele Bloch-Bauer Klimt — Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907)

Danae Gustav Klimt Painting — Danae, 1907

Water Serpents Gustav Klimt — Water Serpents, 1907

The Kiss Gustav Klimt Painting — The Kiss

The Sunflowers Gustav Klimt — The Sunflowers 1907

Judith Gustav Klimt Painting — Judith and the Head of Holofernes 1901

July 15

Happy Birthday Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn born on July 15th in 1606! Rembrandt is a quintessential Dutch old master artist who helped usher in the Golden age of Dutch painting. Despite being a prolific painter, Rembrandt also produced a great deal of etchings that are similarly unparalleled in skill. A prominent portraitist, Rembrandt enjoyed a significant reputation secured by his masterful style.

The Night Watch Rembrandt — The Night Watch 1642

Bathsheba Rembrandt Painting — Bathsheba at Her Bath 1654

Anatomy Lesson Rembrandt — The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp 1632

Self-Portrait Rembrandt — Self-Portrait with Two Circles 1665-1669

Slaughtered Ox Rembrandt — Slaughtered Ox 1655

Marcel Duchamp Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Man Ray, 1920-21, Portrait of Marcel Duchamp, gelatin silver print (Left) and Marcel Duchamp ‘Fountain’, 1917, replica 1964 Sll Rights Succession Marcel Duchamp/ADAGP (Right).

July 28

Happy Birthday Marcel Duchamp, born on July 28th in 1887! Marcel Duchamp was a revolutionary French-American artist who changed and challenged the conventions of the art historical tradition with his Conceptual artworks such as the “readymade”. Working within movements such as Dada, Surrealism, and Cubism, Duchamp sought to make art that engaged the mind beyond the purely visual—or “retinal pleasures”. His works are recognizable by re-contextualized everyday objects, cubist themes, pun, and innuendo.

Nude Descending A Staircase Duchamp — Nude Descending A Staircase, No.2 1912

Bride Stripped Bare Duchamp Dada — The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even, or The Large Glass (1915-1923)

Mona Lisa Duchamp Dada — L.H.O.O.Q (1919)

Marcel Duchamp Dada — Given: 1. The Waterfall, 2. The Illuminating Gas 1945-1966

Jenny Holzer Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Photograph of Jenny Holzer (Left) and “Truisms” (1977–79) (Right).

July 29

Happy Birthday Jenny Holzer, born on July 29th in 1950! Jenny Holzer is an American neo-conceptual artist whose”Truisms” and other works have provoked active discussion and participation from the public dimension. Holzer works in various media such as LED, interactive, projections, billboard, screenprinting, and installation. Holzer’s art and that of her contemporaries, such as Cindy Sherman and Barbara Kruger, has provoked new discussions on feminist dialogue and social commentary.

Holzer Louvre Art — Projection at the Louvre

Jenny Holzer Truisms — Jenny Holzer “Truisms” projections

Jenny Holzer Inflammatory Essays — No Title, from Inflammatory Essays

Henry Moore Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Photography of Henry Moore (Left) and Oval with Points by Henry Moore (Right)

July 30

Happy Birthday Henry Moore, born on July 30th in 1898! Moore is celebrated as one of the most influential sculptors of the post-war period. Inspired by primitivism, abstract forms, and the natural wold, Moore developed a signature style that is recognized most iconically in his reclining figures. Moore worked directly with his sculptural materials, caving directly into the wood or stone.

King and Queen Henry Moore Sculpture — Henry Moore’s ‘King and Queen’ in the Glenkiln Sculpture Park

Large Form Henry Moore Sculpture — Large Interior Form 1982

Henry Moore Drawings Tube — Tube Shelter Perspective 1941

Reclining Figure Moore Sculpture — Two-Piece Reclining Figure: Points

Recumbent Figure Moore Sculpture — Recumbent Figure 1938

Erich Heckel Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured; Self-Portrait, 1917 (Left) and Roquairol Erich Heckel, 1917, (Right).

July 31

Happy Birthday Erich Heckel, born on July 31st in 1883! Heckel was a founding member of Die Brüke (The Bridge), a prominent German expressionist group that included fellow artists Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Fritz Bleyl. Working in both printmaking and painting, Heckel expressed his influences from primitivism and his native German culture and traiditional neo-romantic painting. The pictured “Roquairol “ painting inspired David Bowie’s music album cover for “The Idiot”.

Franzi Erich Heckel Painting — Franzi , Girl with Doll, 1910

Roquairol Heckel Painting David Bowie — Roquairol 1917, Inspiration for David Bowie’s music album cover of The Idiot

Portrait Heckel German Expressionism — Portrait of a Man (Männerbildnis)
(1919)

Heckel Woodcut Die Bruke Expressionism — Stralsund 1912

Bathers Heckel Painting Expressionism — Bathers on the Beach
1913

August

Hedda Sterne Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Photograph of Hedda Sterne (Left) and “New York, N.Y., No. X,” by Ms. Sterne, from 1948 (Right).

August 4

Happy Birthday to Hedda Sterne, born on August 4th in 1910! The only woman pictured in the infamous photograph of the Abstract Expressionist “Irascribles”, Sterne was best known for her inventive and independent style that she characterized as “in flux”. Although she was part of the first generation of the New York School, Sterne was born in Romania and rejected definition of her works or her style. Self-taught, uninhibited, and resolute in her independence, Sterne left behind a legacy of evocative images that has placed her works in high ranking institutions all around the world.

Further Hedda Sterne Art — Further I 1989

The Ballerina Hedda Sterne Surrealism — The Ballerina

New York Hedda Sterne Painting — “New York, N.Y., No. X,” 1948

Tondo Hedda Sterne Painting — Tondo 1973

Hedda Sterne Expressionism Abstract Painting — Cadavre Exquis With Theodor Brauner

Andy Warhol Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Photograph of Andy Warhol (left) and “Gold Marilyn Monroe” 1962 MoMA (right).

August 6

Happy Birthday to Andy Warhol, born on this day in 1928! Andy Warhol was the leading figure of American Pop Art, leaving behind a legacy of unique visual aesthetic and cultural commentary. With works characterized by their commercialized subjects from celebrities and starlets to soup cans, Warhol’s genius resided in his participation in, and subversion of, the commercial culture he lived in. How would Warhol measure his impact today? “Don’t pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches.”

Andy Warhol Self Portrait — Self-Portrait, 1978

Camouflage Warhol Silkscreen Pop Art — Camouflage, 1987

Andy Warhol Flowers Pop Art — Flowers, 1970

Brillo Box Warhol Pop Art — Brillo Box (3¢ Off), 1963-1964

Andy Warhol Pop Art Film — Stills From “Chelsea Girls” 1966

Marilyn Monroe Pop Art Warhol — Marilyn Monroe (Marilyn), 1967

A still of Nico in an Andy Warhol screen test

Judy Garland Andy Warhol Pop Art — Judy Garland, ca. 1979

Emile Nolde Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Self Portrait (Left) and DOPPELBILDNIS 1937 Woodcut on firm paper (Right).

August 7

Happy Birthday to Emile Nolde, born on August 7th in 1867! One of the first expressionists, and a member of German Expressionism group Die Brüke, Nolde left an incredible legacy of oil paintings, watercolors, and woodcuts. Identifiable by their vivacious colors, sweeping and aggressive brushstrokes, and evocative moods, Nolde’s works are infamous as some of the works condemned as “degenerate art” by Adolf Hitler. A proponent of modernism, expressionism, and forward thought, Nolde’s works can be found at nearly every major museum in the world.

Flower Garden Emile Nolde Expressioniam — Flower Garden 1908

Emile Nolde Paintings Expressionism — Pentecast 1909

Emile Nolde Woodcut Expressionism — Scribes (Schriftgelehrte) 1911

Emile Nolde Painting Expressionism — Candle Dancers 1912

Robert Graham Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Photograph of Robert Graham (left) and Elisa by Robert Graham (right).

August 19

Happy Birthday to Robert Graham, born on August 19th in 1938! Born in Mexico City, Graham began working in California when his family relocated to San Jose. A renown artist, Graham had dozens of one-man shows before his death, and received a number of important commissions including the design of the ceremonial gateway for the 1984 Olympic Coliseum. Graham worked primarily in bronze, although he used a range of mediums and materials in his works. After marrying actress Anjelica Huston in 1992, the couple moved into an unusual fortress of his design in Venice, California. His works serve as homages to the human figure, and can be found all over the world.

Olympic Gateway Robert Graham — Olympic Gateway 1984

Robert Graham Mixed media sculpture — Works 71, 1969, mixed media environment

Robert Graham Etching Modern Art — Works 83, 1969
room I, colored etching

Robert Graham Sculpture Bronze — Column II, 1971-73
cast bronze

Robert Graham Sculpture Woman — Becky (Lying Down Figure), 1995, cast bronze

Aubrey Beardsley Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Photograph of Aubrey Beardsley by Frederick Hollyer, 1893 (left) and The Climax by Aubrey Beardsley, 1893 (right).

August 21

Happy Birthday to Aubrey Beardsley, born on August 21st in 1872! Beardsley is best known for his ink illustrations that epitomized the Aesthetic movement which also included luminaries such as Oscar Wilde and James McNeill Whistler. Similar to Whistler, Beardsley was heavily influenced by the Japanese artistic tradition, namely Ukiyo-e woodcut prints. Aiding in the development of the Art Nouveau, Beardsley’s poster-style depictions emphasized the decadent, sexual, and macabre—often drawing upon the theme of the femme fatale. Eccentric both in his artwork and private life, Beardsley converted to Catholicism in 1897 and asked for the destruction of his more salacious works.

The Peacock Skirt Art Nouveau — The Peacock Skirt 1893

Art Nouveau Beardsley Decadent — How Sir Tristram Drank Of The Love Drink 1893-1894

Aubrey Beardsley Art Nouveau — Poster Advertising ‘A Comedy Of Sighs’, A Play By John Todhunter 1894

The Climax Salome Oscar Wilde — The Climax 1893

The Dancer's Reward Beardsley — The Dancer’s Reward 1894

Alex Colville Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Photograph of Alex Colville in 1945, and “Horse and Train”, 1954 by Alex Colville.

August 24

Happy Birthday Alex Colville, born on August 24th in 1920! Colville was born in Toronto, Ontario, and served in the Canadian Army as a lieutenant and member of the 3rd Canadian Division. Colville then became a professor of Fine Art at Mount Allison University before devoting himself to his painting and print-making career. His art was exhibited in the 1966 Venice Biennale and he was elected Companion in 1882 to the Order of Canada in 1982. Colville produced iconic images such as “To Price Edward Island”, “Horse and Train”, and “Man on Verandah”—the most expensive work of art ever sold by a living Canadian artist.

Alex Colville Painting — To Prince Edward Island 1965

Pacific Alex Colville Painting — Pacific 1967

Couple On Beach Painting — Couple On Beach 1957

Horse And Train Alex Colville — Horse And Train 1954

Soldier And Girl At Station Painting Colville — Soldier And Girl At Station 1953

Alex Colville Painting Canadian — Four Figures On Wharf 1954

Dorothea Tanning Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured: Photograph of Dorothea Tanning, 1928 (Left) and ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’, 1943 by Dorothea Tanning (Right).

August 25

Happy Birthday Dorothea Tanning, born on August 25th in 1910! Tanning was an American artist renown for her Surrealist and Abstract works, and exhibited around the world in major retrospectives at locations such as the Centre National d’Art Contemporain in Pari, the New York Public Library, the Camden Art Center in London, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Tanning was a self-taught artist and kept close to the central group of surrealist artists such as Breton, Tanguy, and Man Ray. After falling in love with fellow Surrealist Max Ernst, they were married in a double wedding along with Man Ray. Her surrealist works followed her own developed style and depicted detailed renderings of dream inspired situations. Later in her career she moved to be completely abstract, yet still suggestive of the female form.

Birthday Dorothea Tanning Painting — Birthday 1942

Dorothea Tanning Surrealism Painting — Eine Kleine Nachtmusik 1943

Man Ray Famous Artist Birthdays — Pictured is a photograph of Man Ray (bottom), and Glass Tears by Man Ray, 1932 (Top).

August 27

Happy Birthday Man Ray, born on August 27th in 1890! Born as Emmanuel Radnitzky in South Philedelphia, Man Ray was the oldest child of Russian-Jewish immigrants who soon changed their name from Radnitzky to Ray to avoid the antisemetic and ethnic discrimination at the time. Man Ray was embroiled in artistic pursuits from a young age, becoming an expert drafsman in high school and later taking up work as a commercial artist and techinical illustrator. Influnced by the 1913 Armory Show and a new friendship with Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray began a new artistic practice rewarded by a one man show in 1915. After abandoning painting temporarily, Man Ray moved into the realm of Dada, producing readymades, kinetic art, and multiple collaborations with Duchamp. Today all of Man Ray’s art is celebrated as expert explorations of unpioneered mediums such as performance, assemblage, photography, and conceptual art.

Self-Portrait Man Ray Dada — Self-Portrait 1941

Ingre's Violin Man Ray Dada — Ingre’s Violin 1924

Man Ray Dada Famous — Orchestra From The Portfolio Revolving Doors 1936

Dora Marr Man Ray Dada Picasso — Dora Marr 1936

Man Ray Dada Photography — Primacy Of Matter Over Thought 1929

August 29

Happy Birthday to Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, born on August 29th in 1780! Ingres was a renown French Neoclassical painter, producing iconic canvases such as Napoleon I on his Imperial Throne, and the more controversial Grande Odalisque. Considered a history painter, Ingres provided a stark contrast to the interest in Romanticism at the time as personified by his rival Eugène Delacroix. His attention to line, distortion of form, and explicit depictions of sexuality made him an important precursor to modern art as well as a controversial figure in the Paris Salon exhibitions.

Portrait Of Napoléon Ingres Painting — Portrait Of Napoléon On The Imperial Throne 1806

Virgin And Child Ingres Painting — Virgin And Child 1806

The Grande Odalisque Ingres Painting — The Grande Odalisque 1814

Ingres History Painting Drawing — Henry IV Playing With His Children 1819

Venus Painting Ingres Romanticism — Venus Anadyomene 1848

Princess Painting Ingres Romanticism — Portrait Of The Princesse De Broglie 1853

Jacques-Louis David Neoclassical — Pictured: Self portrait of Jacques-Louis David, 1794, Musée du Louvre (Left) and Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis David, 1794 (Right).

August 30

Happy Birthday to Jacques-Louis David, born on August 30th in 1748! David was a seminal figure in French Neoclassical art, regarded even as the forerunner of the movement. A historical painter, David became an active participant in the French Revolution. After befriending Maximillian Robespierre, David was essentially the director of arts for the French Republic. After a brief imprisonment, David aligned himself with the reign of Napoleon and developed his signature Empire Style noted for the use of Venetian colors. David’s canvases are characterized by their historical subject matters, their intense rendering of light and shadow, and their astute attention to detail.

Christ On The Cross Jacques-Louis David — Christ On The Cross 1782

The Oath Of Horatii Neoclassical Painting — The Oath Of Horatii 1784

The Death Of Socrates Jacques-Louis David — The Death Of Socrates 1787

The Death Of Marat Neoclassical Painting — The Death Of Marat 1793

Napoleon Neoclassical Painting — Napoleon Crossing The Alps At The St Bernard Pass, 20th May 1800-1801

Napoleon David Neoclassical Painting — Napoleon Bonaparte In His Study At The Tuileries 1812

September

Romare Bearden Painting Art — Pictured: Romare Bearden, in his army uniform, a photograph taken by Carl Van Vechten, 1944 (Left) and Jazz Village, 1967 by Romare Bearden (Right).

September 2

Happy Birthday Romare Bearden, born September 2nd in 1911! Romare Bearden’s influence as an African American artist is incalculable both in his artistic endeavors, and his involvement with civil rights. Along with being an artist, Bearden was a songwriter, author and co-author of several books, and winner of the 1987 National Medal of the Arts. Bearden’s work spanned multiple media of both collage, cartoons, oils, and painting. Such works highlighted unity, cooperation, and social consciousness surrounding the African American community in a distinctly historic time.

Romare Bearden African American Art — At The Clef Club (Piano Player) 1975

Romare Bearden Artwork Famous — Pittsburgh Memory 1964

aspar David Friedrich German Art — Pictured: Portrait of Caspar David Friedrich, Gerhard von Kügelgen c. 1810–20 (Left) and Wanderer above the Sea of Fog(1818). 94.8 × 74.8 cm, Kunsthalle Hamburg (Right).

September 5

Happy Birthday to Caspar David Friedrich, born on September 5th in 1774! Friedrich is heralded as one of the greatest 19th century German Romantic landscape painters–perhaps even one of the most influential German artists of his generation. Most recognizable and representative thematically of his works is Friedrich’s iconic “Wanderer above the Sea of Fog” which represents the power of the sublime within nature as well as an allegorical undertone that speaks to the expansiveness of the natural world and the diminished presence of humanity in contrast to untamed wilderness. Drawing on influences from Germanic folklore, to the isolation and loneliness of the individual, Friedrich’s works certainly solidified a legacy of landscape painting as a major genre within the canon of Western Art.

Rocky Ravine Friedrich Romantic — Rocky Ravine 1823

Friedrich Paintings Romanticism — The Watzmann 1824-1825

Fog Friedrich Painting Romanticism — Fog 1807

Jacob Lawrence Artwork — Pictured: Self-portrait, by Jacob Lawrence 1977 (Top) and Jacob Lawrence The Migration Series. 1940-41. Panel 40: The Migrants (Bottom).

September 7

Happy Birthday to Jacob Lawrence, born on September 7th in 1917! Lawrence was an African-American artist whose self-proclaimed style of “dynamic cubism” took form in modernist paintings and illustrations that depicted everything from the everyday colors of Harlem, to epic narratives of African-American history. His works can be seen in major museums such as the MoMA, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Whitney. Not only was Lawrence a painter, but he was also a storyteller and educator, serving as a professor at the University of Washington for 15 years. Working for the WPA, a laundromat, and the United States Coast Guard, Lawrence’s legacy continues well beyond that of his artistic production.

Dreams Jacob Lawrence Art — Dreams No. 2 1965

Jacob Lawrence War Series — War Series: The Letter 1946

Harriet Tubman Series Jacob Lawrence — Harriet Tubman Series (Panel #4) 1940

Brassaï French Photographer — Pictured: Self-photoportrait of Brassaï by Brassaï (Left) and Photograph from Paris du nuit series (Right).

September 9

Happy Birthday to Brassaï, born on September 9th in 1899! Brassaï, pseudonym of Hungarian-French photographer Gyula Halász, ascended to incredible acclaim in the 20th century for his photography, sculpture, writings, and films. In the beginning of this century, over 200 letters, drawings, and other items from the artist’s life were discovered that will aid in the future understanding of Brassaï’s later life and career. Brassaï was often called a “the eye of Paris” and his love for the city caused him to wander the streets at night, taking photographs that captured the essence and beauty of the city of light. Brassaï also took photographs of many of his prominent artist friends such as Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse. He was honored with a 1948 one man show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and numerous other exhibitions both while living, and posthumously.

Paris Photography Beautiful — Untitled (From Paris After Midnight) 1930

Matisse In His Studio Photo — Matisse In His Studio 1939

The Fortune Teller Photograph — The Fortune Teller 1933

Robert Indiana LOVE — Pictured: Photograph of Robert Indiana (Left) and LOVE, 1968 (Right).

September 13

Happy Birthday Robert Indiana, born on September 13th in 1928! Robert Indiana is one of the most recognized living artists of the Pop Art movement, whose “Love” series of paintings, sculpture, prints, graphic art, costumes and stamps has become iconic Americana. Indiana moved to New York and in 1956 met another icon of the Pop Art movement, Ellsworth Kelly. He joined a commune of artists including James Rosenquist and Jack Youngerman in a residence known as Coenties Slip. The artists began scavenging abandoned warehouses for discarded materials and a set of 19th century brass stencils further led Indiana into developing a style of his own using bright colors, numbers and short which became incorporated into his works. It was at this time in the Slip that the artist changed his last name from Clark to Indiana, in honor of his native home state. Perhaps Robert Indiana’s most iconic image is the “Love” work from 1966 which marked a turning point in the artist’s career. Today Robert Indiana’s works can be found in private and public collections as well as museums around the world including The Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as well as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Detroit Institute of Art and the Hirshhorn Museum. His works have continued to ascend in value and in 2011 a 12 foot version of the “Love” sculpture sold for 4.1 million dollars.

Hope Robert Indiana Art — Hope Red/Blue 2009

The Garden Of Love Indiana — The Garden Of Love 1982

The American Dream Robert Indiana — The American Dream, I 1961

Alphabet Wall Blue — Silver/Blue Alphabet Wall 2001

Jean Arp Sculpture Art September 16

Happy Birthday Jean Arp, born on September 16th in 1886! An incredibly versatile man and artist, Arp produced drawings, paintings, collages, poems, and sculptures. He is best-known for his works of biomorphic sculpture which recall organic natural forms. Although Arp’s works are completely abstracted, he remained devoted to nature as inspiration which he referred to for principles for satisfying the eye. Arp was one of the first artists to incorporate the element of chance and randomity into his works, embracing chance as a collaborator in his works and minimizing the involvement of the conscious mind–thoughts that made him popular with Dada and Surrealist artists.

Automatic Drawing Arp — Automatic Drawing 1916

Laws Of Chance Collage Arp — Collage With Squares Arranged According To The Laws Of Chance 1917

Christ On The Cross Art — Christ On The Cross II

Cloud Shepherd Sculpture — Cloud Shepherd

Not Far From The Sun, The Moon And The Stars

Samuel Prout Art — Pictured: Samuel Prout painted by John Jackson in 1831 (Left) and Market Day by Samuel Prout (Right)

September 17

Happy Birthday to Samuel Prout, born on September 17th in 1783! Prout is regarded as one of the foremost masters of British watercolor architectural painting, even becoming the “Painter in Water-Colours in Ordinary” to both King George IV and Queen Victoria. His name is etched into the History of Art alongside fellow artists John Ruskin, J.M.W. Turner, and John Constable. After working on landscapes, Prout turned to scenes of daily life with monumental architecture–encapsulating ancient buildings, bustling marketplaces, and stunning cityscapes. One of the first to use lithography in his works, Prout was an innovative artist who found a niche for his detailed scenes. Prout and Turner serve as interesting contrasts in regard to their disparate interests in the natural sublime, and the urban cityscape.

The Chapel of St. Joseph of Arithamthea, Glastonbury, from the South East

Market Day Antwerp Prout — Market Day, Antwerp, 1818

Pont di Rialto, Venice Watercolor — Pont di Rialto, Venice, 1818

Piazzetta dal Molo Venice Art — Piazzetta dal Molo, Venice, after 1818

Tivoli Temple of the Sibyl — Tivoli, Temple of the Sibyl, 1818

Dale Chihuly Sculpture Art — Pictured: Photograph of Chihuly in 2009 (Left) and Persian Ceiling by Dale Chihuly (Right).

September 20

Happy Birthday Dale Chihuly, born on September 20th in 1941! Chihuly is a celebrated American glass sculptor, becoming unique due to his work’s innovative use of the field of blown glass. Chihuly is one of the first glass artists to move into the realm of large-scale sculpture, populating his works both in the interior and the environmental landscape. After a series of unfortunate accidents that left Chihuly blinded in his left eye, and with a dislocated shoulder, Chihuly began to work as “more of a choreographer than dancer”–hiring artist assistants to aid in his artistic production. Chihuly is a highly successful and innovative glass artist, consistently pushing the boundaries of the medium and with innovative installations.

Fiori Boat Fairchild Botanical Garden — Fiori Boat, 2014

Fiori di Como Bellagio — “Fiori di Como”

Atlantis Chihuly Glass Sculpture — Atlantis

František Kupka Art — Pictured: Photograph of František Kupka, circa 1928 (Left) and František Kupka (1871-1957) Disks of Newton (Right).

September 23

Happy Birthday to František or Frank Kupka, born on September 23rd in 1871! Kupka was an incredibly innovative Czech painter and graphic artist, both trailblazing the beginnings of the abstract art movement and Orphism. First influenced by the symbolic and allegorical subjects of the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, his works later deviated into the realm of pure abstraction. After working as an illustrator, Kupka was moved by the first Futurist Manifesto in 1909 and began painting in a break from his representational style. His later works reflected his enamourment with color theory and his mission to free color from their symbolic and descriptive associations. His works reflect the Orphist notion of the relationship between music and painting, as well as theories of motion and color. A founding member of Abstraction-Création, he became quite well-known and was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, a retrospective at the Galerie Mánes in Prague, and a number of solo shows in New York.

The Lotus Soul Kupka — The Lotus Soul 1898

Frank Kupka Artwork — Organization Of Graphic Motifs 1912

Mark Rothko Artwork — Pictured: Photograph of Mark Rothko (Left) and Untitled (Yellow, Orange, Yellow, Light Orange), 1955 (Right).

September 25

Happy Birthday to Mark Rothko, born on September 25th in 1903! Born as Markus Yakovlevich Rotkovich in Dvinsk in the Russian Empire, Rothko emigrated to the United States in 1913. Moving fluidly through various artistic styles such as Surrealism, Rothko finally found his home in Abstract Expressionism as one of the most prominent Color Field painters. Constantly searching for meaning beyond the canvas, and methods to represent that meaning, Rothko arrived at his iconic Color Field paintings that carefully juxtaposed colors in deliberate layers in order to evoke a feeling of monumentality and spirituality. Replacing his figures with rectangles, the rectangular blocks of color evolve into an abstracted way in which man can immerse himself in the sublime. This direct communication between the viewer and the canvas Rothko hoped would communicate a purpose of higher spirituality. Rothko’s paintings are perhaps some of the most recognized of the Abstract Expressionist art movement. Rather than relating colors to one another on the canvas, Rothko’s intention was to evoke in the viewer the emotion of being consumed. He was exceedingly particular about the scale and placement of artworks, oftentimes arranging his enormous canvases in such a way that those viewing the works were encapsulated by the bold use of color and size.

Théodore Géricault Artwork — Pictured: Théodore Géricault by Alexandre-Marie Colin, 1816 (Left) and The Raft of the Medusa, 1819 (Right).

September 26

Happy Birthday to Théodore Géricault, born on September 26th in 1791! A largely self-taught artist, Géricault was a highly influential painter and lithographer of the Romantic movement. His work was both widely discussed and highly controversial, with “The Raft of Medusa” becoming his most well-known work. The monumental canvas, now located at the Louvre, depicted a contemporary event attributed to government corruption and mixed the styles of Realism and Romanticism to bring a ferocious energy to the work. Géricault referred to cadavers and a real raft to form his vision of the piece. A young and enthusiastic Eugene Delacroix even posed for one of the reclining male figures in the work. Before “The Raft of the Medusa” Géricault was well known for his prowess in depicting heroic cavalry figures such as The Charging Chasseur, exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1812.

Gericault Artworks Painting — The Madwoman, Or The Obsession Of Envy 1822

Gericault Artworks Paintings — The Storm, Or The Shipwreck

TC Cannon Native American Art — Pictured: Self Portrait in the Studio, 1975 by T.C. Cannon (Left) and “A Remembered Muse (Tosca)” by T. C. Cannon.

September 27

Happy Birthday to T.C. Cannon, born on September 27th in 1946! Cannon is one of the most influential Native American artists of the 20th century, and is an enrolled member of the Kiowa Tribe with Caddo and French ancestry. After being exposed to the art of the Kiowa Six, Cannon was inspired to enroll in the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe 1964. After a brief period of schooling at the San Francisco Art Institute, Cannon left to enroll in the army. From 1967 to 1968 Cannon was stationed in Vietnam where he earned two Bronze Stars, and had an artistic breakthrough that influenced his later success and inclusion in major exhibitions such as Contemporary Southern Plains Indian Art and Two American Painters.

TC Cannon Artwork — Self-Portrait with Red Scarf 1972

TC Cannon Art — Waiting for the Bus (Anadarko Princess)

Boucher Caravaggio Tintoretto — Pictured: Cupid a Captive by François Boucher, The Last Supper by Tintoretto, and Conversion on the Way to Damascus by Caravaggio.

September 29

Happy Birthday to three incredible artists: François Boucher, Jacopo Robusti Tintoretto, and Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio born on September 29th! François Boucher was a Rococo French painter, draftsman, etcher, and perhaps the most celebrated artist of the 18th century. Boucher’s works are recognizable from their variants on classical themes, depictions of his patroness Madame de Pompadour, and allegorical tableaus with erotic themes. Tintoretto, or Il Furioso as he was nicknamed, was a notable Italian painter and exponent of the Renaissance school. A native Venetian, Tintoretto’s works explore both the principles of color and light of the Venetian school and the dramatic musculature of Mannerism. Caravaggio was another renown Italian painter who is credited with the invention of stylistic tenebrism, or the use of extreme chiaroscuro in a painting. A dramatic figure both in his lifestyle and his painting style, Caravaggio produced a great deal of paintings exploring realistic and religious scenes such as “Conversion on the Way to Damascus”, and helped usher in the Baroque era.

François Boucher

The Rape Of Europa Boucher — The Rape Of Europa 1732-1734

Madame De Pompadour Boucher — Madame De Pompadour 1756

Tintoretto

Conquest Of Zara Tintoretto — Conquest Of Zara 1584

Caravaggio

Caravaggio Painting Famous — Conversion Of Saint Paul 1600

Caravaggio Famous Paintings — Judith Beheading Holofernes 1598-1599

October

Annie Leibovitz Photography — Pictured: Photograph of Annie Leibovitz (Left) and Photograph of John Lennon and Yoko Ono by Annie Leibovitz for Rolling Stone (Right)

October 2

Happy Birthday to Annie Leibovitz, born on October 2nd in 1949! Leibovitz seems to be a household name in this age, inspiring and shocking with her stunning photographs. She is the only woman to have held a solo show at the National Portrait Gallery in London, and has photographed for a variety of well known magazines such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Rolling Stone. Although she first studied painting at the San Francisco Art Institute, she took evening classes in photography and became the chief photographer for Rolling Stone magazine in 1973—shooting over 140 covers in her 10 year tenure. Leibovitz has produced a number of books and collaborated with arts organizations such as American Ballet Theatre. Often developing a close relationship with those she photographs, Leibovitz’s photography is marked by a bold use of color, and innovative compositions with dynamic posing of her subjects. Leibovitz is perhaps best known for being the photographer behind the iconic shot of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and the last photographer to capture Lennon before his death. Her involvement in high profile advertising campaigns make her work some of the most recognizable of the contemporary age.

Susan Sontag Annie Leibovitz — Susan Sontag shot by Annie Leibovitz in Paris

John Lennon and Yoko Ono, taken by Annie Leibovitz on the day Lennon was shot.

Nixon Annie Leibovitz — Nixon’s helicopter leaving the White House in 1972. Photo by Annie Leibovitz.

Artist Keith Haring, camouflaged. Photo by Annie Leibovitz.

Pierre Bonnard Paintings — Pictured: Self Portrait by Pierre Bonnard 1889 (Left) and The Dining Room in the Country (1913) (Right).

October 3

Happy Birthday to Pierre Bonnard, born on October 3rd in 1867! Bonnard was born in Fontenay-aux-Roses, and is known as a leading French painter and printmaker. Bonnard worked primarily as a Post-Impressionist artist and was a founding member of the adjunct avant-garde group Les Nabis. After briefly practicing law, Bonnard left his occupation as a barrister to devote himself to being an artist and studied at both the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and Academie Julian—the training ground for many of the other artists of Les Nabis. Often taking his subject matter from Symbolist or Post-Impressionist inclinations, Bonnard’s works are characterized by a bold use of color and particularly expressive scenes of daily life for which is is called an “intimist”. His works also are influenced by his love of Japanese prints as Japonisme was a prevailing aesthetic force at the time. Working with other artists such as Edouard Vuillard and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Bonnard was known for his unshakable independence in style and quiet temperament. His legacy and impact have been heralded by artists such as Matisse, and his freed use of color expanded the Post-Impressionist palette to new terrains.

Pierre Bonnard Painting — The Dressing Gown 1892

Jean-François Millet Artwork — Pictured: Portrait of Millet by Nadar (Top) and The Gleaners 1857 (Bottom)

October 4

Happy Birthday to Jean-François Millet, born on October 4th in 1814! Millet is best-known for being one of the co-founders of the Barbizon School in France, and one of the first proponents of Realism as a cohesive movement. After briefly studying at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Millet submitted to the Salon twice before being accepted into the Salon of 1840. He devoted himself briefly to becoming a portrait painter before turning to realistic depictions of idealized pastoral scenes. Despite being scorned at the Salon multiple times for his avant-garde canvases, Millet continued his work, producing masterpieces such as “The Gleaners” and “The Angelus” which convey the severity, monotony, and fatigue of work in the fields. With growing success came an election to the Salon jury, and critical acclaim. Millet’s work served as an incredible inspiration to Vincent van Gogh, and Claude Monet. Millet’s legacy lives on in both the artists he inspired, and in the play “Is He Dead” by Mark Twain which is loosely based off of the artist’s life.

The Sower Millet Painting — The Sower 1850

Harvesters Resting Millet Painting — Harvesters Resting 1850-1853

Harvesting Potatoes Millet Painting — Harvesting Potatoes

The Gleaners Millet Painting — The Gleaners 1857

The Angelus Millet Painting — The Angelus 1857-1859

Maya Lin Famous Art — Pictured: Photograph of Maya Lin (Left) and Folding the Chesapeake, 2015 (Right).

October 5

Happy Birthday Maya Lin, born on October 5th in 1959! Lin is a celebrated American designer and sculptor, working with both site-specific and earthworks. Maya Lin is best-known as the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. Lin received her education at Yale University where she earned both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Architecture. While at Yale as a 21 year-old undergraduate, Lin beat out over a thousand other artists in the public design competition for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Although the design was controversial for its staunch minimalism and avant-garde nature for a war memorial, the site is extremely popular and serves as a site of pilgrimage for those affected by the Vietnam War. Lin is a strong proponent of creating art as a conscious act in order to create a dialogue and make a statement. She was awarded the National Medal of the Arts by President Barack Obama in 2009 and is currently working on her “final memorial” which will commemorate lost biodiversity that has been lost in our planet’s sixth mass extinction. Lin currently operates out of the Maya Lin Studio in New York City and is represented by the Pace Gallery.