Early Life and Artistic Training August Frederick Biehle, Jr. (1885–1979) emerged from the artistic heritage of his family—specifically, his father’s expertise in German decorative murals—to become a prominent figure in American modernist painting. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he was the son of Christina Mussler and August Frederick Biehle, Sr., who immigrated to the United States from Germany. From a young age, Biehle demonstrated an apt…