About Frank Coburn
Lived 1862 – 1938 (aged 75–76). Frank Coburn was an American artist.
Frank Coburn (July 4, 1862 – November 13, 1938) was an American painter. His work is associated with early 20th-century Californian art and the American Impressionism movement.
He is best known for painting landscapes of Southern California, though Coburn's work also includes still lifes, portraits, figure studies, and urban scenes. His work is notable for its diversity, including portraits of Native Americans, including Laguna Pueblo and Huichol people.
Biography Coburn was born in 1862 and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. His mother was Theresa Southwick. He was educated at the Art Institute of Chicago, though he reportedly considered himself to have been largely self-taught. He often traveled around California in his bus-like vehicle called "El Vagabundo," which also acted as his studio.
He was married to Luella Elliot, though little is known about this, or other relationships Coburn had with friends, family, or other artists.
Important for his career was a solo exhibition held at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California, in 1938, the year he died. He was survived by his sister, Georgia DeLong, who donated several paintings to the Bowers Museum.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Frank Coburn's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Frank Coburn?
American artist, 1862-1938
When was Frank Coburn born?
Frank Coburn was born in 1862 in Chicago.
When did Frank Coburn die?
Frank Coburn died on 13 November 1938 in Santa Ana, California.
What was Frank Coburn's occupation?
Frank Coburn was an artist.
What nationality was Frank Coburn?
Frank Coburn was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Frank Coburn. https://biography.guide/frank-coburn/
MLA: "Frank Coburn." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/frank-coburn/.
Chicago: "Frank Coburn." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/frank-coburn/.
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