Biography provided courtesy of “California Watercolors 1850-1970” By Gordon T. McClelland and Jay T. Last.

Robert Bechtle (1932- )...Born: San Francisco, CA

Studied: California College of Arts and Crafts (Oakland), University of California (Berkeley).

Robert Bechtle grew up in the East Bay and studied art in Oakland and Berkeley during the late 1950s. His works from this period were mostly expressionistic in style with figurative subjects. In the early 1960s, he lost interest in painting abstractions and began working in a representational style, which led to the photo realist paintings he became known for. Bechtle has been a leading figure in the photo realist movement and works with both oils on canvas and watercolor on paper. His works are in numerous museum collections including the Whitney Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum and San Francisco Museum of Art. He has taught art at the California College of Arts and Crafts and since 1968, has taught at San Francisco State University. The O.K. Harris Gallery in New York City has handled sales of his works since the early 1970s.

Biographical information:

Interview with Robert Bechtle, 1998.