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The American artist Fred Carl Frieseke began his professional life as a caricaturist and later achieved great success as a painter. Frieseke was born in 1874 in the city of Owosso in Michigan and died in 1939, just a few days after the opening of the major retrospective of his work at the Grand Central Art Galleries in New York City.
The young Frieseke decided early on to become an artist. At the age of 19 he began his studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. Afterwards he spent an apprenticeship year at the Art Students League in New York. In 1897 he travelled to France. In the cultural city of Paris, Frieseke wanted to further his artistic education. The ambitious young man obtained a study place in the classes of Jean Joseph Benjamin Constant and Jean Paul Laurens at the Académie Julian. He also received lessons from the well-known artist Auguste-Joseph Delecluse. Despite his short studies under James McNeill Whistlers at the Académie Carmen, Whistler's influence on Frisekes art was strong. Frieseke learned from him the "infinite gradation" of colors. Another major influence on Frieseke's work was the then popular Art Nouveau. In Paris, the American lived in the trendy artists' quarter of Montparnasse. Here he could achieve first successes with his nude paintings. In 1904 one of his paintings was even bought by the French government. Parisian city views of the boulevards and buildings as well as summer landscapes of his adopted country were also in the repertoire of the American artist.
Around 1900 Frieseke moved with his wife to Giverny in a small house next to the Claude Monets estate. Many other artists from the United States had also settled in the small town. Among them were Guy Rose, Lawton Parker, Edmund Greacen and Richard Edward Miller. Their works are often associated with Freseke's work. Despite his beautiful residence in Giverny, Frieseke continued to treat himself to an apartment and studio in Paris. His favorite motif at that time was female figures in colorful garden surroundings. For this he used a fast, broken brushstroke of Impressionism. In Giverny, Frieseke's color palette consisted mainly of green, blue, and lilac, iridescent gold and orange shades, and creamy white tones that capture and reflect the radiant summer sunlight.
Despite the many inspirations Frieseke left Giverny and bought a summer house in Le Mesnil-sur-Blangy in Normandy. Here he painted mostly female portraits. A frequently appearing model was his daughter Frances. Friesekes colour palette darkened and he suddenly showed interest in light-dark contrasts. The privately and professionally successful artist was productive until his death. He took part in many exhibitions in both the USA and France and was honored with several awards.
The American artist Fred Carl Frieseke began his professional life as a caricaturist and later achieved great success as a painter. Frieseke was born in 1874 in the city of Owosso in Michigan and died in 1939, just a few days after the opening of the major retrospective of his work at the Grand Central Art Galleries in New York City.
The young Frieseke decided early on to become an artist. At the age of 19 he began his studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. Afterwards he spent an apprenticeship year at the Art Students League in New York. In 1897 he travelled to France. In the cultural city of Paris, Frieseke wanted to further his artistic education. The ambitious young man obtained a study place in the classes of Jean Joseph Benjamin Constant and Jean Paul Laurens at the Académie Julian. He also received lessons from the well-known artist Auguste-Joseph Delecluse. Despite his short studies under James McNeill Whistlers at the Académie Carmen, Whistler's influence on Frisekes art was strong. Frieseke learned from him the "infinite gradation" of colors. Another major influence on Frieseke's work was the then popular Art Nouveau. In Paris, the American lived in the trendy artists' quarter of Montparnasse. Here he could achieve first successes with his nude paintings. In 1904 one of his paintings was even bought by the French government. Parisian city views of the boulevards and buildings as well as summer landscapes of his adopted country were also in the repertoire of the American artist.
Around 1900 Frieseke moved with his wife to Giverny in a small house next to the Claude Monets estate. Many other artists from the United States had also settled in the small town. Among them were Guy Rose, Lawton Parker, Edmund Greacen and Richard Edward Miller. Their works are often associated with Freseke's work. Despite his beautiful residence in Giverny, Frieseke continued to treat himself to an apartment and studio in Paris. His favorite motif at that time was female figures in colorful garden surroundings. For this he used a fast, broken brushstroke of Impressionism. In Giverny, Frieseke's color palette consisted mainly of green, blue, and lilac, iridescent gold and orange shades, and creamy white tones that capture and reflect the radiant summer sunlight.
Despite the many inspirations Frieseke left Giverny and bought a summer house in Le Mesnil-sur-Blangy in Normandy. Here he painted mostly female portraits. A frequently appearing model was his daughter Frances. Friesekes colour palette darkened and he suddenly showed interest in light-dark contrasts. The privately and professionally successful artist was productive until his death. He took part in many exhibitions in both the USA and France and was honored with several awards.