August Laux (American, 1847 to 1921)
Born in the Rhineland area of Germany, August Laux became noted for his richly colored, precisely rendered floral still lifes and genre scenes, although early in his career his reputation was for frescoes and decorative painting. His parents were French, and relatives held high government positions in Strausburg. A cousin and one of his uncles were sculptors in Paris, and with exposure from childhood to persons creative in the arts, Laux followed this path.
He emigrated to New York City with his parents in 1863 and began studying sculpture, but in 1867 switched to painting, enrolling in classes in the National Academy of Design. He first exhibited there in 1870, and three years later accepted a commission to paint the scenery for a private club in Manhattan. This mural received such acclaim that he became much sought after for frescoes and other decorations in public buildings as well as private homes of wealthy persons including financiers Jay Gould and Andrew Garvey.After 1880, he turned to still life and genre painting, which he continued until his death in Brooklyn in 1921. His work is in the Brooklyn Historical Society.
Information courtesy of Charlton Hall Galleries, September 2006.