William Wendt
(1865 - 1946)

Often referred to as the “Dean of California landscape painters”, the name William Wendt is synonymous with early plein air painting and the very roots of California Impressionism. As one of the earliest artists to establish a studio in Laguna Beach in 1912, Wendt is a prominent figure in the artistic heritage of this coastal community, which continues to flourish as one of the most vital artists’ colonies in the country. German-born Wendt emigrated to the U.S. in 1880, and began his art training at the Chicago Art Institute. Relocating to Los Angeles in 1906, Wendt found artistic and religious inspiration in the California countryside, and his painting expresses the serenity and strength he found in the landscape. While Wendt’s confident brushstrokes possess a virility and fervor that distinguish him from many of the California Impressionists, they also reflect his spiritual, poetic connection with nature and the paintbrush. Works Held: Union Club, Seattle; Herron Art Institute, Indianapolis; Cliff Dwellers Club, Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago; Cincinnati Art Museum; Des Moines Association of Fine Arts; Oakland Museum; Laguna Art Museum; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Pasadena Art Institute; Pasadena Art Museum; Springville (UT) Museum