Tony Curtis
(American, 1925–2010)
Biography
Tony Curtis was an American cultural icon and artist. Widely recognized for his acting career, he also painted brightly colored still lifes, landscapes, and portraits. His small-scale works were influenced by the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and especially Henri Matisse. “When I paint, I don't paint shapes, I paint colors,” Curtis once said. Born Bernard Schwartz on June 3, 1925 in Bronx, NY, he grew up poverty stricken, and was once placed by parents in an orphanage to prevent him from starving. After military service during World War II, Curtis studied acting at The New School in New York. Moving to Hollywood in 1948, he landed prominent roles in classic films such as Some Like It Hot and Spartacus. Though he showed an interest in painting throughout his life, he only began to work in earnest during the early 1960s. The artist died of cardiac rest on September 29, 2010 in Henderson, NV. He is survived by his daughter the actress Jamie Lee Curtis. Today, his work Red Table can be found in the film and media wing of The Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Tony Curtis
(98 results)
---1982.jpg "Untitled (hand) - 1982, 1982")
English (US)
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