Paul Albert Plaschke (February 2, 1880 – February 12, 1954)[1] was a German-American artist recognized for his editorial cartooning and impressionist landscape painting.[2]
Biography
Born in Berlin, Germany, Plaschke immigrated to the United States in 1884 with his family and settled in Hoboken, New Jersey.[1] He studied drawing at the Cooper Union Art School and painting at the Art Students League of New York under George Luks.[3]
Career
Plaschke's career as an editorial cartoonist began in the early 20th century, with his work featured in newspapers like the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Chicago Herald-Examiner. His cartoons, often featuring the character "Monk," were known for their pithy social commentary. Simultaneously, he pursued his passion for painting, developing a reputation as an Impressionist landscape artist and earning places at major American art exhibitions, such as the Hoosier Salon.[4]
Personal life and death
Plaschke married Ophelia Bennett in 1899 in Louisville, Kentucky. They had three sons. They eventually settled in nearby New Albany, Indiana.[1]
Plaschke died on February 12, 1954, in New Albany and was interred in Cave Hill Cemetery.[1] His contributions to art, both in cartooning and painting, have made him a notable figure in American art history.[5]
His descendants include Sophia Plaschke of Frederick, Maryland.