LeRoy Neiman

popular name: George Inness Jr.

date_of_death: July 27, 1926

age:

cause_of_death:

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: George Inness Jr. was one of America's foremost figure and landscape artists and the son of George Inness, an important American landscape painter. He studied with his father and Léon Bonnat in the 1870s in Europe, where he was made an officer of the Académie des Beaux-Arts. Like his father, he was considered a member of the Barbizon School and resisted impressionism. Later he returned to the United States and became known for his paintings of animals and illustration of hunting scenes. In 1899 he was elected to the National Academy of Design. He lived and worked in Boston, New York City and New Jersey and finally in Tarpon Springs, Florida where he produced most of his life's work. The Unitarian Universalist Church in Tarpon Springs contains a collection of eleven of his works, several of which are murals painted directly to the walls of the church sanctuary.

popular name: Eugène Delacroix

date_of_death: August 13, 1863

age: 65

cause_of_death: Throat infection

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Eugène Delacroix was a French Romantic artist who was regarded as the leader of the French Romantic school. In contrast to the Neoclassical perfectionism of his chief rival Ingres, Delacroix took for his inspiration the art of Rubens and painters of the Venetian Renaissance, with an attendant emphasis on colour and movement rather than clarity of outline and carefully modelled form. Dramatic and romantic content characterized the central themes of his maturity, and led him not to the classical models of Greek and Roman art, but to travel in North Africa, in search of the exotic. Delacroix was trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and quickly gained attention for his dramatic, expressive style. His breakthrough came with the painting La Barque de Dante (1822), which was showcased at the Salon and received acclaim for its bold use of color and intense emotion. This set the stage for other iconic works, such as Liberty Leading the People (1830), a powerful allegorical depiction of the July Revolution in France. Delacroix's use of vivid colors, dynamic compositions, and passion in his works became a hallmark of Romanticism. Throughout his career, Delacroix was inspired by literature, history, and contemporary events, drawing from sources like Shakespeare, Byron, and the Bible. His works often depicted intense emotions, dramatic landscapes, and scenes of violence and heroism. He was also influenced by the art of the Dutch Masters and the emerging techniques of the Impressionists, though he remained primarily associated with the Romantic tradition. Delacroix's later years were marked by a move toward lighter, more fluid compositions. Though he never embraced the academic style of the time, he remained a prominent figure in French art circles. His legacy deeply influenced generations of artists, including the Impressionists, particularly in terms of color theory and the expressive use of brushwork. He died at his home in 1863, leaving behind a legacy as one of the great masters of 19th-century art. He was interred at Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France.

popular name: Auguste Rodin

date_of_death: November 17, 1917

age: 77

cause_of_death: Pulmonary edema

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Auguste Rodin, a French sculptor generally considered the founder of modern sculpture, lived a life marked by perseverance, innovation, and profound artistic evolution. Born into a modest family in Paris, Rodin struggled academically and faced repeated rejection from the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. These early setbacks shaped his self-reliant approach, encouraging him to pursue training through practical work rather than formal schooling. He spent many years as a craftsman and ornamental sculptor, quietly honing the technical mastery that would later underpin his revolutionary style. Later in life, his studio became a hub of creative exploration, supported by numerous assistants, collaborators, and pupils. Among them was Camille Claudel, a brilliant sculptor whose artistic and personal relationship with Rodin had a lasting impact on both their careers. He is known for such sculptures as The Thinker, Monument to Balzac, The Kiss, The Burghers of Calais, and The Gates of Hell.