Painter. Born in Brooklyn, NY on August 23 1871. At a young age he was drawn to the arts, both music and painting--especially the seascapes of William Trost Richards (1883-1905) who he eventually studied with in Philadelphia. He also studied at the Art Students League and the Cooper Union art School in New York. He went on to study both music and art in Munich with Karl Raupp (1837-1918), in Paris at the Academie Julian and in Leipzig in 1905.

Returning to the United States, Cuprien taught for five years at Baylor University in Texas. His love of painting and the sea lured him to Southern California in 1912. He lived briefly on Catalina Island and then eventually settled in Laguna Beach where he remained for the rest of his life. He became an integral and popular member of the community for three decades. On a bluff overlooking the ocean, he built a home and studio which he named "The Viking." It became a bohemian gathering spot where he loved to entertain friends and fellow artists with piano recitals and exhibitions of his paintings. His estate was bequeathed to the Laguna Beach Art Association, of which he was founding member. Cuprien is best known for his marine and coastal scenes.

Member : California Art Club; Laguna Beach Art Association (President 1921-22); Leipzig Art Association; Dallas Art Association; Denver Art Association; Southern States Art league; New Haven Palette and Chisel Club; Painters and Sculptors of Los Angeles.

Exhibited : Berliner Ausstellung (gold); Galveston, Texas, 1913 (medal); San Diego Exposition, 1915 (medal), 1916 (medal); California State Fair, 1918 (medal), 1920 (prize); Phoenix (AZ) State Fair,1916 (prize); Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1918 (solo); Laguna Beach Art Association, annuals, 1921 (prize); Witte Memorial Museum, 1929 (prize); Laguna Beach Museum, 1939-45; Pacific Southwest Exposition, Long Beach (prize); Society of Independent Artists.

Works held : Bowers Museum, Santa Ana; del Vecchio Gallery, Leipzig; Laguna Beach Museum of Art; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Springville (Utah) Museum of Art; Chamber of Commerce Laguna Beach.

Sources : WW47; Hughes, Artists of California, 128; Peggy and Harold Samuels, 118.