Arthur Osver, an internationally recognized painter and a longtime professor of art, died Monday, July 24, 2006 at Barnes Jewish Extended Care in Clayton, Mo. He was 93.
Born in Chicago, Osver attended Northwestern University and the Art Institute of Chicago, where he met his future wife, the painter Ernestine Betsberg. The couple lived in Paris, Rome and New York before arriving at Washington University in 1960.
Though retired since 1981, Osver remained a fixture on the St. Louis arts scene, known for colorful, rhythmic abstractions that combined intricate structures with gestural spontaneity. His work is included in many prestigious collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of American Art, all in New York.
Osver is survived by Betsberg and a brother, Sam Osver of California. A memorial service is planned for 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, in Graham Chapel.