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John W. Winkler Signature Initial

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John W. Winkler 's

BIOGRAPHY

He was born in Vienna of a military family. At 16, seeking adventure and changing his name, Winkler came to America. He met hobos and Indians, mined for copper in Bingham Canyon, and shucked corn in Nebraska.

In San Francisco, in 1911, he impulsively enrolled in the San Francisco Institute of Art although he had never done any serious art work. He studied and taught at the Art Institute. He soon discovered that etching provided a permanent and challenging media and was given a life scholarship at the Institute. He lit gas lamps to sustain himself.

Working directly on the plate, Winkler recorded life and scenes of lively San Francisco rebuilding after the earthquake. He won awards and exhibited his etchings of Chinatown's Alleys, Telegraph Hill goats and shacks, and East Bay sailing ships, among other scenes.

In 1921 Winkler left for Paris and London where he brought out new plates. The Gazette des Beaux Arts wrote of Winkler -- "San Francisco is to Winkler as Tahiti was to Gauguin." Malcom Sulaman wrote a Winkler catalog while his closest friend, John Taylor Arms wrote of Winkler "Master of line--Master of us all."

In France John W. Winkler drew the country genre and cathedrals, and he etched plates of Normandy's shops and street people. In London he etched boats, bridges, and shipping on the Thames.

Returning to California in 1929 Winkler completed many more etchings and drawings. He enlarged the San Francisco, France, London, and began the California Mountain etching series. He created his Christmas etchings in the 1930's.

After branching out into other media he returned to his etching in 1976 when over 40 never published plates were finished and small editions were printed.

During his lifetime Winkler produced nearly 600 plates, hundreds of drawings, jewelry pieces, and 200 hand-carved, decorated, wooden boxes. Winkler chose mediums which could not be changed. He said the difficulty was a stimulus and a challenge. Technique was taken for granted, but the personality of the artist was what counted.

Winkler prints can be found in most major museums with the following museums having the most complete collections: The Achenbach Foundation, San Francisco; The Art Institute of Chicago; The Boston Public Library; the Library of Congress; the New York Public Library; The Smithsonian Institution; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Museum; The Oakland Museum; The San Diego Museum; and the Brooklyn Museum.

John W. Winkler was part of the community of artists that included famous photographer, Imogen Cunningham, and etchers Roy Partridge, John Taylor Armes, and Arthur Heintzelman. He hiked in the Sierra Mountains with William Colby who founded the Sierra Club. His wife, Elizabeth Ginno Winkler was also an artist and worked and exhibited at the San Francisco World’s Fair of 1939.

Winkler never printed large editions of his work, never amassed financial security with his art, but he did find lifelong pleasure in it.

John W. Winkler in 1918 photographed by Dorothea Lange

Winkler liked to wear hats given to him by friends from all over the world

The "Spider Man" photo was taken by famous photographer Imogen Cunningham in 1958

Winkler and his wife Elizabeth examine one of his boxes.

John W. Winkler with Granddaughter Michele