Leo Katz

Leo Katz (1887–1982) was an American painter, muralist, printmaker, and photographer whose career spanned continents and artistic disciplines. Born on December 30, 1887, in Roznau, Moravia, he trained at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna and the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich before emigrating to New York in 1920.)

In the United States, Katz quickly established himself through large-scale public projects. He created a mural for the 1933 Century of Progress Chicago World’s Fair and, after moving to Los Angeles in 1934, painted another for the Federal Art Project at the Frank Wiggins Trade School (later removed for its content). He also assisted the renowned Mexican muralist José Clemente Orozco on the frescoes at Dartmouth College. Returning to New York in the 1940s, Katz immersed himself in printmaking at Stanley William Hayter’s Atelier 17 workshop, where he produced notable works such as the 1945 engraving *Pegasus* and eventually helped manage the studio.)

Katz’s artistic practice blended traditional academic training with modernist experimentation, particularly in the realms of mural painting and intaglio printmaking. His works often explored dynamic forms and symbolic imagery, reflecting both European academic roots and the vibrant American art scene of the mid-twentieth century. As an educator, he taught courses on modern art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, photography at Spelman College, and served as chair of the art department at the historically Black Hampton Institute, where he mentored emerging talents including Benjamin Leroy Wigfall.)

Katz’s legacy endures through his presence in major institutional collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the National Gallery of Art. His papers are preserved at the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution, ensuring that his contributions to American printmaking and public art remain accessible to scholars and enthusiasts.)