Emil Kosa Jr.
Church Paris Oil Painting by Emil Kosa Jr.
1927

About the Item

Emil Kosa, Jr., N.A. (1903-1968) Born: Paris, France; Studied: Academy of Fine Arts (Prague), Ecole des Beaux Arts (Paris), Chouinard Art Institute (Los Angeles); Member: National Academy of Design, American Watercolor Society, California Water Color Society, Philadelphia Water Color Club, New York Water Color Club. Emil Kosa, Jr. received art instruction and music lessons at a very early age. When he was in his late teens, he had to decide between being a professional musician or artist. He chose art, but his family and instructors believed he could have been a famous musician had he chosen that occupation. In the 1920s, he moved to California, but returned to France several times to continue his art education. He received traditional painting instruction from Pierre Laurens and studied non-objective painting with Frank Kupka. After settling in California in 1928, he worked as a mural artist and operated a business with his father that produced decorative art for churches and auditoriums. When that line of work was slow, he took on portrait commissions and sold fine art paintings through local galleries. In the early 1930s, Kosa became friends with Millard Sheets and with Sheet’s encouragement, began aggressively pursuing a national reputation as a California watercolor artist. He sent up to sixty watercolors every year to museum shows all over America and was among the first California Style watercolorist whose work brought attention to the West Coast watercolor style. He was an active member of the California Water Color Society and served as a president in 1945. Kosa was one of the first of the California watercolorists to be accepted into annual shows in New York City at the National Academy of Design and in the American Watercolor Society shows.

Creator:
Emil Kosa Jr. (1903 - 1968, French)
Creation Year:
1927
Dimensions:
Height: 29 in (73.66 cm)Width: 26 in (66.04 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
Medium:
Oil
Movement & Style:
American Impressionist
Period:
1930-1939
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Pasadena, CA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU40638343162
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