On this Day

Born 2 Sept 1913, Saccaro was an American abstract expressionist artist from the SF bay area. Think slashing, angular brush work and high contrast colours. @SFMOMA – do you have any of his work?

Born in Illinois, Aug 20 1909, Walton was a journalist and abstract expressionist. Friends with both Hemingway and JFK, he served as a parachutist in WW2, and possibly as a spy in Russia after JFK’s death. Not dull. Here’s his view of wartime London.

Born 19 Aug 1848 in Paris to a wealthy family, Gustave was a lawyer, engineer and painter, of the realism/impressionism school. A bit of an enigma, he took up painting after fighting in the Franco-Prussian war. Here’s Pont de l’Europe.

Born 18 Aug 1909 in Ohio, Koch originally painted with impressionist tendencies but came to be known for highly realistic, light-filled pieces, often set in his own apartment in Manhattan and including himself in the painting. Here’s: Conversation.

Born Aug 17 1923 in the Bronx, Rivers was considered by some to be the Godfather of Pop Art, one of 11 artists featured in the original Terrain Gallery exhibition. Living at the Chelsea Hotel put him right in the middle of the 60s/70s rock scene. Here’s: Woman reclining in a yellow robe.

Born Aug 15 1913, Indiana, Fulwider established a studio at the age of 25, devoting his time to painting and printmaking. While living in Northwest US, he became known for landscapes and industrial scenes – and trains; this is Sidelined.

Born 12 Aug (or 14 Aug -there’s some debate) 1714, Vernet was born in Avignon. After helping his father decorate sedan chairs, he moved on to become a fine, if immodest, landscape painter. Here’s one of his coastal scenes.

Born 8 Aug 1646, Kneller was a leading portrait painter of his day, working for British and European royalty. His series “Beauties” hangs at Hampton Court. The Chinese Convert (1687) shows the first visit of a Chinese man to England, and was ordered by King James II.

Born 7 Aug 1867, Nolde’s original surname was Hanson, he changed his name to that of his German birthplace. An expressionist, he was assocatied with Die Blaue Reiter and Die Brücke. This is: Sunflowers.

Born Aug 6 1928, Pittsburgh PA. What needs to be said about Warhol? We’ve all seen the soup cans, the bananas, Marilyn and Jackie. Simply iconic. This is one of his later works, Vesuvius II