Gottardo Piazzoni (1872-1945)

Swiss-American Gottardo Piazzoni (1872-1945) was a significant character in the art scene of San Francisco in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many people are familiar with his murals for the San Francisco public library that are now preserved in a large room in the de Young museum.

In 2005 the Bolinas Museum presented the exhibition, The Piazzoni Legacy: Three Generations Paint the Splendors of California, which included works by Gottardo Piazzoni, Mirelle Wood, Tom Wood and Russell Chatham. Gottardo is Russell Chatham’s grandfather, and greatly influenced his life and work. Russell Chatham is a celebrated coastal Marin artist. This Marin landscape by a prominent Northern California painter additionally supports our interest in Russell’s work and influences.