Tuesday ART ATTACK- Guy Rose "The Old Church At Cagnes"

By Christian Franzen

Guy Rose was born on March 3rd, 1867 in San Gabriel, California. Rose was born into a large family of eight children allowing him a lot of freedom at a young age on his families large Souther California rancho. When he was eleven years old, Rose was on a hunting trip with his brothers and was accidentally shot in the face. His injury took a substantial amount of time to recover so he passed the time drawing and painting in oils outside on his families rancho. 

Graduating from Los Angeles High School in 1884, he decided to move to San Francisco where he attended the California School of Design. While in San Francisco Rose began to contemplate his place in the world, as many artists do. The young artist looked to Europe in search of his true potential and moved to Paris in 1888 to study at the Académie Julian. While at the Académie, Rose became swept up in the Impressionist phenomena and won several awards for his brilliant light infused paintings. 

In the mid 1890's Rose moved back to the United States settling in New York where he illustrated for Harper's and Century magazines. One day Rose realized the commercial art scene wasn't cutting it for him anymore and he decided to return to France in 1899. He settled in Giverny with his wife Ethel and created some of his most famous works during this period. 

After a long stay abroad he returned once again to the United States. Spending his first year back in Narragansett, Rhode Island and then finally making his way back to Los Angeles, California in 1914. Rose began teaching at the Stickney Memorial School of Art in Pasadena. Tragically, Rose suffered a stroke in 1921 that left him paralyzed from the neck down and ultimately led to his death on November 17th of 1925. 

Guy Rose was arguable the Great Great Grandfather of the historically crucial lineage of "The California Painter" that is still carried on today. He cultivated many pivotal themes of The West, Spanish influence, and the activeness of the California landscape throughout his career that are still staples of the California Painters experience today.

Laguna Coast (1910)