Franz Bischoff
Encyclopedia
Franz A. Bischoff was an American artist
known primarily for his beautiful China
painting
, floral paintings and California landscapes. He was born in Steinschönau, Austria
(now known as Kamenický Šenov
in the Czech Republic
on January 14, 1864. He immigrated to the United States as a teenager where he became a naturalized citizen. While in Europe, his early training was focused upon applied design, watercolor and ceramic decorations.
, Detroit, Michigan
and Dearborn, Michigan
. While in Detroit and Dearborn, he gained success as a painter of porcelain, and as a teacher of the techniques, as well as a manufacturer of ceramic glazes
as well as a teacher of watercolor painting
.
Franz Bischoff decided to visit California in 1900 and ultimately chose to settle in the Los Angeles
area in 1906. Shortly after arriving, he started making arrangements to design and build a large Italian Renaissance style home in Pasadena
that also became his studio. This landmark home was completed in 1908.
Bischoff was one of the earliest members of the California Art Club
, and the group's second meeting was held at his studio on February 5, 1910. Also present at that meeting were Carl Oscar Borg
and William Wendt
.
Inspired by the California countryside, Bischoff attempted to capture the area's brilliant light and diverse landscapes. Spending less time with ceramic painting following the start of World War I
, Bischoff took up canvas painting. He painted local farms, fishing wharfs, coastal landscapes and scenes of the Sierra Nevada and the mountains of Utah
, including Zion National Park
. Recognized during his career for use of color and vivid composition, his paintings always displayed reverence for nature. One critic commented that some of his later works flirted with Expressionism and his use of colors were reminiscent of Fauvism. Franz Bischoff died of heart failure at home in his adopted city of Pasadena, California on February 5, 1929.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
known primarily for his beautiful China
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
painting
Ceramic glaze
Glaze is a layer or coating of a vitreous substance which has been fired to fuse to a ceramic object to color, decorate, strengthen or waterproof it.-Use:...
, floral paintings and California landscapes. He was born in Steinschönau, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
(now known as Kamenický Šenov
Kamenický Šenov
Kamenický Šenov is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:* * German Wikipedia Site with detailed information in German on this city* * *...
in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
on January 14, 1864. He immigrated to the United States as a teenager where he became a naturalized citizen. While in Europe, his early training was focused upon applied design, watercolor and ceramic decorations.
California years
After arriving in the United States, Bischoff worked in New York, Fostoria, OhioFostoria, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,931 people, 5,565 households, and 3,628 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,917.6 people per square mile . There were 6,024 housing units at an average density of 829.2 per square mile...
, Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
. While in Detroit and Dearborn, he gained success as a painter of porcelain, and as a teacher of the techniques, as well as a manufacturer of ceramic glazes
Ceramic glaze
Glaze is a layer or coating of a vitreous substance which has been fired to fuse to a ceramic object to color, decorate, strengthen or waterproof it.-Use:...
as well as a teacher of watercolor painting
Watercolor painting
Watercolor or watercolour , also aquarelle from French, is a painting method. A watercolor is the medium or the resulting artwork in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-soluble vehicle...
.
Franz Bischoff decided to visit California in 1900 and ultimately chose to settle in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area in 1906. Shortly after arriving, he started making arrangements to design and build a large Italian Renaissance style home in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
that also became his studio. This landmark home was completed in 1908.
Bischoff was one of the earliest members of the California Art Club
California Art Club
The California Art Club , founded in 1909, is one of the oldest and most active arts organizations in California. It celebrated its centennial in the spring of 2010. The California Art Club originally evolved from the Painters Club of Los Angeles...
, and the group's second meeting was held at his studio on February 5, 1910. Also present at that meeting were Carl Oscar Borg
Carl Oscar Borg
Carl Oskar Borg was a Swedish born, American painter who was known for themes of the Southwestern United States.-Biography:...
and William Wendt
William Wendt
William Wendt was an American landscape painter. He was called the "Dean of Southern California landscape painters."Wendt was a founding member of the California Art Club, along with his wife Julia Bracken Wendt, and served as its president for six years.Wendt built his studio in Laguna Beach,...
.
Inspired by the California countryside, Bischoff attempted to capture the area's brilliant light and diverse landscapes. Spending less time with ceramic painting following the start of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Bischoff took up canvas painting. He painted local farms, fishing wharfs, coastal landscapes and scenes of the Sierra Nevada and the mountains of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, including Zion National Park
Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
. Recognized during his career for use of color and vivid composition, his paintings always displayed reverence for nature. One critic commented that some of his later works flirted with Expressionism and his use of colors were reminiscent of Fauvism. Franz Bischoff died of heart failure at home in his adopted city of Pasadena, California on February 5, 1929.
Galleries & public collections
- Laguna Beach Museum of Art, Laguna Beach, California
- Irvine Museum, Irvine, California
- Gardena High School, Gardena, California
- The Oakland Museum, California
Sources
- Literature: Hughes, Edan Milton, Artists in California, 1786-1940, 1989
- Literature: Westphal, Ruth Lily, Plein Air Painters of the Southland, 1996