Norman Rockwell

popular name: Hugo Pratt

date_of_death: August 20, 1995

age: 68

cause_of_death: Bowel cancer

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Hugo Pratt is considered one of the greatest graphic novelists in the world. His strips, graphic works, and watercolors have been exhibited in major museums such as the Grand Palais and Pinacothèque in Paris, the Vittoriano in Rome, and Ca ‘Pesaro in Venice. Pratt was known for combining strong storytelling with extensive historical research on works such as Corto Maltese. From 1970 to 1984 Pratt lived in France where Corto Maltese was immensely popular where his comic book was published by the local publisher, Pif Gadget, and later translated in fifteen different languages. From 1984 to 1995 Pratt lived in Switzerland where the international success that Corto Maltese continued to grow. In France, most of his pre-Corto Maltese works were published in several album editions by publishers such as Casterman, Dargaud, and Humanoides Associés. Often referred to as "The Picasso of Comics" Pratt was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2005.

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: Théodore Géricault

date_of_death: January 26, 1824

age: 32

cause_of_death: Complications from a spinal tumor

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Théodore Géricault was one of the pioneers of the Romantic movement and his expressive works include portraits and military themes. His best-known painting is The Raft of Medusa which is a dramatic interpretation of the aftermath of a French shipwreck, a contemporary tragedy. born in Rouen, France to an upper middle-class family, Géricault's family moved to Paris in 1797 when he was 5 years old. Though he had shown an early promise in art, his father did not want him to pursue it as a career. After his mother died in 1808, he received an annuity which gave him some form of financial independence. At 17 years old, Géricault started secretly studying art under Carle Vernet. Vernet specialized in military paintings, genre paintings, and equestrian paintings. In 1810, wanting a more formal training, he studied classical figure art under Pierre-Narcisse Guérin. After 11 months, he opted instead to just paint the masters at the Louvre (only to be banned for getting into a heated argument with another artist). In 1819, Géricault completed what would become his most famous painting, “The Raft of the Medusa”. It depicted the harrowing last hours of a recent shipwreck that became a national disaster. In 1819, the painting was exhibited at the annual Paris Salon and, though it was awarded a gold medal, received conflicted reviews for the political undertones. In 1820, Géricault toured the painting through England, where it was a success. Later in his life he traveled to England where visions of the poor and downtrodden greatly impacted his art. Plagued by ill health all his life, Géricault died in 1824 at just 32 years old. Months later, the Louvre purchased “The Raft of Medusa”. He was interred at Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France.