George Clair Tooker, Jr., better known as George Tooker, an acclaimed American figurative painter, was born on this day, 5th August, 1920. He was raised in Brooklyn till the age of seven, after which he and his family moved to Bellport, Long Island. Tooker began taking painting lessons at age seven under professional artist Malcolm...
Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet, a painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting was born on this day, June 10, 1819. His works were to later influence the Impressionists and the Cubists. Born in a family that strongly held anti-monarchical sentiments, he grew up to be a politically active individual, and this attitude...
The indiscriminately cruel pandemic earlier this month carried away South Indian artist S Elayaraja, known for his stunningly realistic portrayals of ‘Dravidian women’. Abir Pothi condoles Strikingly real imagery with an almost photo-like study of light, beautiful women in vibrant saris, flowers in their hair and a hint of a smile always playing on their...
April 30, On This Day Manet, an Impressionist herald A pivotal figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism, French modernist painter Édouard Manet was one of the first 19th-century artists to paint modern life. Born in January 1832, he died on April 30 1883. His early masterworks are today considered watershed paintings that mark...
April 22, On This Day Death of a socialist artist A committed pacifist and communist, this female German artist depicted the effects of poverty, hunger and war on the working class in 275 prints over her career, in etching, woodcut and lithography. Virtually the only portraits she made (at least 50) were images of herself,...