Born in the Banat region of Hungary on June 6, 1882, Joseph Kleitsch began painting at age seven and was awarded a scholarship by his village to study art. He continued his training in Budapest, Munich, and Paris. By age 17 he was an accomplished portraitist with such sitters as Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria.

He immigrated to the U.S. in 1901 and established a studio in Cincinnati; during 1906-07 he was a resident of Denver. He then traveled to Mexico City where he was the official portraitist to President Madero. Kleitsch painted portraits of many prominent citizens of Chicago while further studying at the AIC. Upon moving to California in 1920, he settled in Laguna Beach and, with his

Source: Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
Plein Air Painters (Ruth Westphal); American Art Annual 1915-33; Art Digest, 4-15-1932; Southern California Artists (Nancy Moure); Antiques & Fine Art, Dec. 1987; Los Angeles Times, 7-23-1922 & 11-22-193l (obituary).

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