Franz Bischoff

Franz Bischoff earned the title “King of the Rose Painters” for his mastery in ceramic decoration. He was also a prominent Southern California plein-air landscape painter in the early 20th century. Bischoff trained at a craft school before studying painting and porcelain decoration in Vienna. In 1885, he moved to New York, working in ceramic factories and later founding the Bischoff School of Ceramic Art in New York and Detroit. In 1900, Bischoff visited California and settled in Los Angeles by 1908, where he built a studio home in South Pasadena. Influenced by the Impressionists and Old Masters, he spent time painting landscapes in places like Monterey, Laguna Beach, and Zion National Park. His style evolved into post-impressionism, known for expressive color use. Bischoff’s ceramics were showcased at major expositions, including the 1893 Columbian Exposition, and he was active in the California Art Club and Laguna Beach Art Association