Brown, Bob (1893–1954)
Creator:
Paul Nelson
Louise and Bob Brown’s passport photo, 1923. From US Passport Applications, 1795–1925. (M1490) Passport Applications, January 2, 1906–March 31, 1925. Roll 2166, 1923 January, certificate no 243600-243975.
Bibliography
Nelson, Paul. “Bob Brown: Paint What You See.” Ramsey County History 56, no. 2 (Summer 2022): 14–26.
https://publishing.rchs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/RCHS_Summer-2022_P-Nelson.pdf
Towne, Oliver. "St. Paul Painter's Works Rediscovered." St. Paul Pioneer Press, May 24, 1985.
Chronology
1893
Brown is born in Berlin, Wisconsin, a village in the Fox River valley.
1915
Brown works as a commercial artist in St. Paul.
1918
The US Army discharges Brown, and he marries Louise Driese of St. Paul.
1919–1923
Brown tours Europe and studies art in New York City.
1928
Brown wins first prize in watercolors at a Women’s Club of Minneapolis art show.
1930–1931
Brown moves to Greenwich Village and tries to make an art career in New York. He fails and returns to St. Paul.
early 1930s
Brown meets Meridel LeSueur and separates from Louise.
1936
One of Brown’s paintings appears in the New Horizons in American Art exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Brown is employed by the Federal Art Project in St. Paul.
1940
The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis mounts Brown’s first one-man show. It follows up by displaying Brown works in group shows shown in 1943, 1944, and 1949.
1941
The St. Paul Public Library mounts a solo show of Brown’s work.
1954
Brown dies of a heart attack on June 19. He is buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.
1963
Louise Brown dies in St. Paul.
1965
The St. Paul Art Center mounts a Bob Brown retrospective.
1985
Oak Park Heights State Bank retrieves some 300 Bob Brown works from storage and displays them. Walter Bush buys the collection, stores it, and eventually sells most of it to private buyers. He donates some to the Minnesota Historical Society.
1996
Meridel LeSueur dies. Her papers, including over 300 letters from Bob Brown, are donated to the Minnesota Historical Society.
2022
Deborah LeSueur donates nearly 300 photographic images of Bob Brown works to the Ramsey County Historical Society.
Bibliography
Nelson, Paul. “Bob Brown: Paint What You See.” Ramsey County History 56, no. 2 (Summer 2022): 14–26.
https://publishing.rchs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/RCHS_Summer-2022_P-Nelson.pdf
Towne, Oliver. "St. Paul Painter's Works Rediscovered." St. Paul Pioneer Press, May 24, 1985.