(1877-1941). A popular American artist who was a member of the Theosophical Society (TS) at Point Loma. It is not certain when he joined the Society, but it is possible that he met K. TINGLEY during his student days in New York. He moved to Point Loma community in 1909. In 1915 his paintings were exhibited at the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego where he was awarded a gold medal prize. By 1920 he was recognized in exhibitions throughout the country. In 1926 his “Mountain Lake” was the color cover for an issue of Literary Digest, and his “City and Bay of San Diego” was reproduced in California Southland.

Braun was quite active in theosophical work at Point Loma and was a member of Gottfried de PURUCKER’s cabinet during the early thirties.

Braun did not hesitate to credit theosophy with sharpening his insight into nature. He stated that theosophy was “the champion and inspirer of all that is noble and true and genuine in art” (Theosophical Path, XIV, pp. 7-13).

A very prolific painter, over 1,500 of his canvases were sold to the public and in 1977 Martin E. Peterson, Curator of Paintings at the Fine Arts Galley of San Diego named him “Master Painter of the Californian Landscape” (Journal of San Diego History, XXIII, Summer 1977).

P.S.H.

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