Ferdinand Kaufmann was born in Oberhausen, Germany on October 17, 1864. He immigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as a teenager. He studied art in Paris with Laurens, Bougereau, Constant and Manet. He spent six years painting in Europe before returning to the United States in 1902. While based in Pittsburgh, he painted in New England, New Mexico, Arizona and California. In 1921 he settled in Southern California where he bought a home in Pasadena and a studio-home in Laguna Beach. An Impressionist and master of color and composition, the influence of his Parisian teachers is evidenced in his landscapes, seascapes and figure studies. Kaufmann was a member of the Laguna Beach Art Association, the Pittsburgh Art Association, the North Shore Art Association and the Paris-American Art Association. He exhibited widely and won numerous awards. He was active in the local art scenes until his death on March 21, 1942.

Biography courtesy of DeRu's Fine Arts, www.antiquesandfineart.com/derus