Jasper Johns.

Born 1930 American painter and printmaker, forerunner of Pop art, who uses commonplace emblematic images such as flags or numbers as the starting-point for works of great richness and complexity. Born in Augusta, Georgia, and grew up in South Carolina. Studied at the University of South Carolina ,then moved in 1949 to New York. Two years military service, part of the time in Japan. From 1952 the artist lived in New York. Made his first 'Flag', 'Target' and 'Number' paintings in 1954 and 1955 his first one-man exhibition at the Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, in 1958 won him immediate recognition. Since 1960 has also made nearly 300 lithographs, etchings, screenprints, and embossed paper and lead reliefs.