Franz Bischoff – the most delicate roses

Franz Bischoff (1864-1929) received his artistic education in Vienna and then in Dresden, studying the art of Chinese painting. In 1883 he emigrated to the United States, where he lived and worked in New York and other cities. He worked in a factory as a decorator and painted porcelain, founded the Bischoff School of Ceramic Art in New York and Detroit.
Then he moved to Dearborn, Michigan. For 14 years of work in Michigan, Bischof became famous for painting ceramics, his work received the highest awards at the World Fairs in Chicago (1893), St. Louis (1904) and Paris (1900). Bischoff’s early 1900s porcelain wares show the artist’s refined style of painting and consummate craftsmanship.

In 1900, Bischoff visited California for the first time and soon moved to Los Angeles and then to Pasadena, where he decided to settle. He soon set about building a large Italian Renaissance house, which also became his studio. This house was completed in 1908.
Inspired by California landscapes, Bischoff took up painting plein air. He painted local farms, fishing piers, coastal landscapes of the Sierra Nevada and the mountains of Utah, including Zion National Park. Over time, he was less and less engaged in painting on ceramics and devoted all his time to painting. His paintings were recognized during his lifetime for their use of color and vivid composition. They show his admiration for the beauty and majesty of nature.





















This vase can be seen standing on a chair next to Franz Bischoff in a rare photograph of the artist.
