{{Infobox artist | name = Charles Fracé | image = Cover_of_Nature's_Window.jpg | caption = Nature's Window, a 1992 profile of Charles Fracé and collection of his works. The painting on the cover, titled Fleeting Encounter, was painted in 1988. | birth_name = Charles Fracé | birth_date = | birth_place = Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania | death_date = | death_place = Nashville, Tennessee | nationality = American | field = Wildlife painter | training = Philadelphia Museum School of Art, | movement = Wildlife, realism | works = African Leopard Cub (1978)Snow Leopard (1975)Cougar (1978)Clouded Leopard (1979)Fleeting Encounter (1988)Unrivaled (1994) | patrons = | awards = See below }} Charles Fracé (February 28, 1926 – December 16, 2005) was an American wildlife artist whose work was featured in more than 500 exhibitions, including a solo exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Fracé painted over a hundred paintings from which limited edition prints were produced, which were consistently popular with collectors. Early life, education, and career Born in 1926 in the small town of Mauch Chunk (now Jim Thorpe), in eastern Pennsylvania, Fracé lost his father at a young age, and lived with his mother and grandparents. Fracé began drawing at five and taught himself to paint when he was fifteen. His first painting was a portrait of Jesus, which was followed the next year by a portrait of Abraham Lincoln which was presented to his high school principal, and which remains in the town museum. He also played alto horn and trumpet in the school band, and was in the school soccer and basketball teams. After working at odd jobs for several years before being persuaded to apply for a scholarship to the Philadelphia Museum School of Art. His self-instructed talent earned him the opportunity, and he worked his way through school, including a stint as an extra for the Philadelphia Opera, graduating with honors in 1952. In 1955, Fracé began a professional career as a freelance illustrator in New York City. After struggling to land his first paid artist job, and working for a year for the local office of the Saturday Evening Post, he befriended wildlife photographer Shelly Grossman. After Fracé sought advice from respected wildlife illustrator Al Dorne, who told Fracé, "stick with it", Fracé joined Grossman on an assignment in Weeki Wachi, Florida. There, Fracé found the inspiration to