Robert Bechtle facts for kids

Robert Alan Bechtle (born May 14, 1932 – died September 24, 2020) was an American artist. He was known for his paintings and prints. Robert Bechtle also worked as a teacher. He spent most of his life in the San Francisco Bay Area. His art often showed everyday scenes from his local area. His paintings look very much like photographs. This style is called Photorealism. He often painted cars.

Robert Bechtle's Early Life

Robert Alan Bechtle was born on May 14, 1932. His birthplace was San Francisco, California. His mother, Thelma, was a teacher. His father, Otto, was an electrician. When Robert was young, his family moved to Oakland. In 1942, they moved to the city of Alameda.

Discovering Art

Robert started drawing when he was very young. His teachers and family encouraged him. They helped him decide to become an artist. He went to Alameda High School.

After high school, Robert won a scholarship. He got it by showing his artwork in a national competition. This scholarship paid for his first year of college. He studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts. This school is now called the California College of the Arts. He earned two degrees there.

Serving in the Army

After college, Robert joined the United States Army. He was sent to Berlin. While there, he painted murals in the Mess Hall. He also loved visiting the many famous museums in Europe.

Robert Bechtle as an Artist

Robert Bechtle was a talented painter. He also made many prints. He started with a type of printmaking called lithography. After 1982, he mostly worked with etching. This was when Crown Point Press began to publish his prints.

Teaching Career

Robert Bechtle also taught art. From 1956 to 1966, he taught at the University of California, Berkeley. He also taught at the University of California, Davis, from 1967 to 1968. In 1968, he started teaching at San Francisco State University. He lived in the Potrero Hill neighborhood of San Francisco.

His Unique Art Style

Robert Bechtle, ’61 Pontiac, (1968–1969). This painting shows Robert, his first wife, and their two children in front of a car.

Robert Bechtle was one of the first Photorealist artists. Other famous Photorealists include Chuck Close and Ralph Goings. By the mid-1960s, Robert had found his own special style. He kept this style for his whole career. He used his own photographs to create his paintings. His art looked so real, it was like a photograph.

He found inspiration in his everyday life. He painted his friends and family. He also painted neighborhoods and street scenes in the San Francisco Bay Area. He paid special attention to cars. When you look at his paintings, you can barely see his brushstrokes. His art shows how he saw the world. He captured the colors and light of ordinary scenes.

One of his famous paintings is "'61 Pontiac." He made it between 1968 and 1969. It shows himself, his first wife Nancy, and their two young children. They are standing in front of a car.

Exhibitions and Collections

Robert Bechtle's artwork has been shown all over the world. Many museums own his art. These include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) also has his work. In New York City, his art is in the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art. The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. also has his paintings.

Special Art Shows

In 2000, the Oakland Museum of California held a special show. It was called "California Classic: Realist Paintings by Robert Bechtle." This show looked back at his many paintings.

In 2005, SFMOMA organized a very big show. It was called "Robert Bechtle: A Retrospective." This was the first large show of all his work. It also traveled to the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Robert Bechtle's Final Years

Robert Bechtle passed away on September 24, 2020. He was 88 years old. He died in Berkeley, California. He was survived by his wife, Whitney Chadwick. He also left behind his two children, Max and Anne.

See also

In Spanish: Robert Bechtle para niños