Robert Malcolm Rucker (March 28, 1932–March 7, 2001) was one of Louisiana's most loved and respected artists. The son of a respected steamboat captain, Rucker showed an impressive natural talent for lush impressionistic scenes early on - he actually opened his own gallery at the age of 16 in New Orleans. Tragically, a year later, he was struck by a severe case of polio. Unable to further his own foray into the arts, Rucker was funded by the Louisiana Department of Education and was attended the John McCrady School of Fine Arts located on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. With his training now complete, Rucker worked briefly at Tulane University Medical School as a medical illustrator before devoting his life to being a full time artist. It is said that Rucker created thousands of artworks during his long life - he was named a "Louisiana Legend" in 1997 by Louisiana Public Broadcasting.