Will Sparks Old Commercial Co. Store Angels Camp

(1862-1937) Painter, etcher, muralist, illustrator. Born in St. Louis, MO on February 7, 1862. Sparks was raised in St. Louis and attended public schools there. He began painting when quite young and sold his first painting at age 12. After studying medicine and anatomy at the St. Louis Medical College, he opted to pursue an art career. He then studied at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts and later in Paris at Academies Julian and Colarossi under Gerome, Harpignies and Bouguereau. While in Paris, he supported himself as an anatomical illustrator for Louis Pasteur. After his European hiatus, he returned to St. Louis and exhibited in the St. Louis Expo of 1886. At the Expo he met Mark Twain whose vivid description of California convinced Sparks to move there in 1888. He worked for the SF Evening Call as a writer and illustrator. While maintaining a studio in San Francisco at 163 Sutter Street, he taught anatomy at UC’s medical school (1904-08) and was one of the founders of the Del Monte Art Gallery in 1907. Sparks died in San Francisco on March 30, 1937. One of California’s most important artists, he is nationally known for his jewel-like paintings of the California missions and nocturnal adobe scenes. Sparks claimed to have painted about 3000 oils. Member: Bohemian Club; San Francisco Art Association. Works held: Crocker Museum; Bohemian Club (mural, The Home); de Young Museum; California Palace of the Legion of Honor.