Great Father/Son (or Daughter) Artists?

[sevo]

Is it adequate to go by what a small clique like? Surely this definition is just a popularity contest, in which case, would it not be best to only consider people from the mass entertainment fields?

Well, in the field of mass entertainment we have plenty of (motion picture) actors that are children of same. In the past, just about every painter, composer or stage personality was part of a family enterprise that often stretched over centuries. That the latter is now uncommon and the former common implies that it is all a matter of what is (and can be) marketed to whom.

Where your protest against elitism may come into play - the (arguably elitist) modern requirement that artists must demonstrate individual genius does not mate too well with the concept of jobs being inherited as part of the family enterprise.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Where your protest against elitism may come into play - the (arguably elitist) modern requirement that artists must demonstrate individual geniality does not mate too well with the concept of jobs being inherited as part of the family enterprise.

I don't think you mean that they have to be friendly and pleasant, do you? 🙂

As to "genius", which I'm guessing was your intended meaning, what is that when at home? I think it's all publicity and popularity, mixed with a small dollop of originality. On the last, though, I believe that it's probably better to leave out the originality, rather than overdo it.

Did you know that the original meaning of "genius" was a sort of demi-god, who protected a particular place? In that context, the real geniuses are our police, firemen, social and medical workers, not to mention all the unpaid people who work for charity.

😀

 

[KoNickon]

Well, there's Daniel Day Lewis (the actor) and his father, Cecil, who was poet laureate of England.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

So far we have:

The Feiningers (painter/photographer)
The Day-Lewises (poet/actor)
Paul and Stella McCartney (singer/fashion designer)
(from the LUG) Pablo and Paloma Picasso (painter/jewelry fashion designer)

not a bad haul, RFF.

 

[Vics]

It is not uncommon to inherit traits and to also pick things up over the years from the parents. Often, the father & son end up not at the same level of excellence in art.

John Lennon and Julian Lennon?
Bob Dylan and his son?

Also many, many Hollywood examples, but unfortunately for the OP, usually the same Medium.

 

[mfogiel]

Eric Ravillous (sculptor, painter) and son James Ravillous (photographer), Sigmund Freud (psychoanalisys artist) and Lucian Freud (grandson, painter)

 

[nemo2]

I only can find the brother-pairs, who were on the top of their professions on the (small) country level. Kaja and Jan Saudek(s) (cartoonist/photographer) and Jiri and Ladislav Labus(es) - actor and architect.

 

[Dwig]

While most of N. C. Weyth's offspring were painters (3 daughters, 1 son, and at least one grandson) like himself there was one that followed a different drummer. N. C.'s son Nathaniel was a chemist with some 25 inventions in the realm of plastics including the PET plastic that makes plastic soda bottles, and many other plastic food bottles and jars, possible.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Fascinating question, which goes to the heart of "Would they be known at all if daddy/mummy weren't famous?" And an excellent illustration of regression to the norm.Sorry: can't think of any examples. Maybe tomorrow, when I've slept on it.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Addy101]

So far we have:

The Feiningers (painter/photographer)
The Day-Lewises (poet/actor)
Paul and Stella McCartney (singer/fashion designer)
(from the LUG) Pablo and Paloma Picasso (painter/jewelry fashion designer)

not a bad haul, RFF.

Hmm, I guess you don't accept Linda McCartney-Eastman a master. Interesting 🙄

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Fascinating question, which goes to the heart of "Would they be known at all if daddy/mummy weren't famous?"

Nepotism rules, Daddy-o!

😀

 

[sevo]

Hmm, I guess you don't accept Linda McCartney-Eastman a master. Interesting 🙄

Well, she had potential (in spite of being no relation of old George Eastman at all). Didn't make that much of it, as far as my taste is concerned. Perhaps she was spoiled by her daddy being a major showbiz attorney, so that she had a bit too easy a path to being a celebrity photographer. And marrying that former John Lennon band member (who didn't exactly impress me as a master in his solo projects either) duplicated that problem in music...

 

[Peter_wrote:]

thomas mann (writer), erika mann (actress, cabaret artist), golo mann (historian)
karl böhm (conductor), karlheinz böhm (actor)
hanns hörbiger (technician, inventor, and in later age creator of the strange Welteislehre), attila/paul hörbiger (actors)

 

[Addy101]

Well, she had potential (in spite of being no relation of old George Eastman at all). Didn't make that much of it, as far as my taste is concerned. Perhaps she was spoiled by her daddy being a major showbiz attorney, so that she had a bit too easy a path to being a celebrity photographer. And marrying that former John Lennon band member (who didn't exactly impress me as a master in his solo projects either) duplicated that problem in music...

Well, if you think Paul solo wasn't a master, you didn't listen carefully to his whole body of work 😎
But let us not quarrel 'bout the arguably the most influential band ever!

I don't consider Linda McCartney a master in music, just in photography - or at least a very talented photographer!

 

[bogdanb]

Arseny and Andrei Tarkovsky (poet/filmmaker)
Sergei and Nikita Mikhalkov (writer/filmmaker)

There are also far more examples that spring to my mind of artists whose parents were scientists or philosophers (and vice versa) or siblings that became famous artists in different media. I could come up with a dozen or so examples, if that is relevant for your discussion.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Awesome, bogdanb!

 

[maclaine]

David Bowie (musician, among other things) and son Duncan Jones (film director). Duncan Jones has only made two films so far, so it might be difficult to consider him a "master" just yet, but they've both been very well received, and he'll mos likely continue to make films for a long time.

 

[gns]

He isn't as prominent a figure as his father, Lee, but Erik Friedlander is a fairly well known jazz cellist and composer.

 

[andrewmore]

David Bowie attended Bromley Technical High School for Boys (now Ravens Wood School for Boys) at the same time as rock musician Peter Frampton. Peter's father Owen was head of the art department at Ravens Wood as I knew it when I was there (1969 to 1977). Owen was a huge influence in the lives of many who went on to art and design (and in my case engineering).

Regards

Andrew More

 

[danielsterno]

Tony Smith important american sculptor and daughter sculptress Kiki Smith come to mind

following father daughter ( as a proud Dad)
Henry Fonda father of Jane Fonda

Last: Kirk Douglas Father of Michael Douglas both actors