b. 1921. Frank Lobdell is an American postwar abstract painter. While his work falls into the genre of abstraction, Lobdell's interest in anthropomorphic shapes, pre-Christian iconography, fertility symbols, and references to textile designs and primitive art are present throughout his oeuvre. In this sense, his painting shares a likeness with certain aspects of surrealism, specifically as practiced by Picasso, Miró, and Klee. Indeed, one of the most pivotal moments in Lobdell's artistic development occurred when he saw Guernica at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1940.

Lobdell's early paintings from the late forties and fifties are dark and powerful abstractions. After fighting in World War II, Lobdell struggled with the effect of war on the psyche.