'Venice' by Irma Engel Grabhorn, 1961, Post-Impressionist Woman Artist, Salon D'Automne, Paris, France, San Francisco Museum of Art

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Signed lower right 'Engel G' for Irma Engel Grabhorn (American, 1908-2003), titled 'Venezia IT' and dated 1961.

Born in Badenweiler, … Read more Signed lower right 'Engel G' for Irma Engel Grabhorn (American, 1908-2003), titled 'Venezia IT' and dated 1961.

Born in Badenweiler, Irma Leisinger first studied in Paris with Andre Lhote from 1926. In 1930, she entered the Berlin Academy and continued her studies with Carl Hofer. With her first husband, Samuel Engel, she settled in San Francisco in 1939 and, after his death, married the fine arts printer, Edward Grabhorn. Over the course of a long career, Engel was the recipient of numerous prizes, medals and juried awards. She exhibited internationally with success including at the Salon d'Automne (Paris), 1926; Berlin; NY World's Fair, 1939; Golden Gate International Exposition, 1939; San Francisco Museum of Art, 1939 (solo); the De Young Museum, 1945, 1946 (solos); and at Gump's in San Francisco.

A prolific artist, Irma Engel produced over 600 floral still-lives, portraits and landscapes in her lyrical fusion of Expressionism and Post-Impressionism. She was member of the San Francisco Art Association and the Association of San Francisco Women Artists and her work is held in public and private collections including the permanent collections of the Karlsruhe Landesmuseum and the San Francisco Museum of Fine Arts.

Reference:
Who Was Who in American Art 1564-1975: 400 Years of Artists in America, Peter Hastings Falk, Sound View Press 1999, Vol. 1, p. 1048; Artists in California 1786-1940, Third Edition, Edan Milton Hughes: Crocker Art Museum, Sheridan Books 2002, Vol. 1, p. 352; Who's Who on the Pacific Coast; SF Chronicle, 5-6-1991; et al. See less