Gustave Cimiotti (1875-1969) was born in New York City. In his youth, Gustave was interested in both art and music. While studying both fields, Cimiotti took classes at the Art Students League of New York and private music lessons. Studies at the Julian Academy in Paris convinced Cimiotti to choose art as a career. Back in the States in 1904, Cimiotti took up residence at 51 West 10th Street, in the famous 10th Street Studio Building in New York City, where he worked for over fifty years, in addition to teaching at the Pratt Institute and serving as director of the New Jersey School of Fine and Industrial Arts. A newspaper article published in 1954 described Cimiotti as "one of America's best-known painters." Following Cimiotti’s death, the Phoenix Art Museum held an exhibition of his work.