Paul Kelpe

Paul Kelpe
Self-portrait, c. 1930
Born(1902-01-15)January 15, 1902
Minden, Westphalia, German Empire
DiedDecember 8, 1985(1985-12-08) (aged 83)
Austin, Texas, United States
NationalityGerman-born American
Known forPainting
MovementAbstract art, Combine painting

Paul Kelpe (/ˈkɛlpi/; January 15, 1902 – December 8, 1985) was a German-born American abstract painter. His constructions integrating found objects into paintings were the first such works created in the United States and he painted two of the five Williamsburg murals, the first abstract murals in the United States. In addition to his mural work for various American government projects, he was an innovative independent painter and university art professor. He was a pioneer of American abstract art, including his work in Chicago during a period in which abstracts were not well accepted or appreciated.[1]

  1. ^ "Paul Kelpe". Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved 2020-01-05.