Franz Kline

Born in Pennsylvania's Coal Region in 1910, Franz Kline's early life was marked by personal tragedy, including his father's suicide when Kline was seven. He showed an early artistic talent, even serving as a cartoonist for his high school newspaper. His formal training began at Boston University and continued in London, where he met his future wife, Elizabeth V. Parsons, a British ballet dancer. Returning to the U.S. in 1938, Kline initially worked as a designer and scenic a…