Raimonds Staprans, Latvian-American Painter, Dies at 99

The acclaimed artist known for his luminous California landscapes and still lifes was also an award-winning playwright.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Raimonds Staprans, a Latvian-American painter renowned for his vivid, light-filled paintings of California landscapes and still lifes, died on January 29 at the age of 99. Staprans, who lived and worked in San Francisco for nearly 60 years, was also an acclaimed playwright whose works about his native Latvia were performed in both the U.S. and his home country. Despite never achieving the same level of fame as some of his Bay Area contemporaries, Staprans received numerous honors, including Latvia's highest civilian award, the Order of the Three Stars, in 2003.

Why it matters

Staprans' paintings, which evoked a sense of "calm corroded by anxiety" through his masterful use of color and composition, earned him a reputation as an important figure in the Bay Area art scene. His plays, which dramatized the Soviet occupation of Latvia, also made him a respected cultural ambassador for his home country. Staprans' life and work serve as a testament to the enduring power of art to capture the human experience, even in the face of displacement and upheaval.

The details

Staprans followed a daily ritual of studying the San Francisco skyline from his Potrero Hill home before descending to his studio in the garage to paint. His work, which was often compared to that of Richard Diebenkorn and Wayne Thiebaud, was known for its luminous quality and evocative use of color. In addition to his painting, Staprans was an award-winning playwright, with two of his works about Latvia's history being staged in both San Francisco and Riga. Staprans continued to paint until his final days, with his last words being a request to "sit and finish my beer" in his native Latvian.

  • Staprans was born on October 13, 1926 in Riga, Latvia.
  • In 1944, Riga fell to the Soviets, forcing the Staprans family into a refugee camp in Austria.
  • The Staprans family immigrated to the United States in 1947, settling in Oregon.
  • Staprans earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Washington in 1952 and his master's degree from UC Berkeley in 1954.
  • Staprans died on January 29, 2026 at the age of 99.

The players

Raimonds Staprans

A Latvian-American painter known for his luminous California landscapes and still lifes, as well as his award-winning plays about the history of Latvia.

Ilona Staprans

Raimonds Staprans' wife of 65 years, who was a biochemist conducting lipid research at the San Francisco VA hospital.

Maretta Staprans

Raimonds Staprans' daughter, who is the owner of a software company called Hospitality Vision.

Scott Shields

The associate director and chief curator of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, who organized a career retrospective of Staprans' work in 2017.

Emma Acher

The curator of American art at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, who selected one of Staprans' "premium paintings" for the museum's permanent collection in 2022.

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What they’re saying

“He was someone who painted from memory. Not someone who looked at objects and painted them. He was trying to convey the deeper meaning of an object and bring it to life in the vibrant California light.”

— Maretta Staprans, Raimonds Staprans' daughter

“As a colorist, Staprans was a master. His compositions are perfectly structured, and there is this overriding sense of loneliness that runs through his paintings.”

— Scott Shields, Associate director and chief curator, Crocker Art Museum

What’s next

In August 2026, the Latvian National Museum of Art in Riga will open a 100-year celebration of Raimonds Staprans' life and work, featuring eight of his "premium paintings" that will be shipped from San Francisco.

The takeaway

Raimonds Staprans' life and art serve as a testament to the enduring power of creativity to transcend displacement and upheaval. Despite never achieving the same level of fame as some of his Bay Area contemporaries, Staprans left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of both his adopted home of San Francisco and his native Latvia through his luminous paintings and politically resonant plays.