Born in San Francisco, CA on July 21, 1881 of German parents. Charles Krantz was a prolific painter in oil, watercolor, and gouache of landscapes, florals and Bay Area scenes, having lived in Fairfax and Oakland as well as San Francisco.

Tamalais Valley was a favorite painting area, and he painted his oils very thinly on inexpensive cotton canvas with no varnish. He left a portfolio of watercolor and gouache paintings of every variety of orchid he could find.

He showed early art talent, and by age 18 was working as a sign painter. In 1945, after the death of his wife, he occupied a home in Fairfax, with a yard filled with flowers that he painted daily. He was a frail, small man with a high-pitched voice and was quite deaf.

He died at San Rafael, California General Hospital on Sept. 11, 1959. His work is in the California Historical Society.

Source:

AskArt.com

Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"

City Directory; Interview with artist or his/her family; Death Record