The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-09
AN ARTISTIC BIG FOUR
WORK OF THE CELEBRATED INDI-
ANA GROUP OF PAINTERS.
Their Canvases Now ON Exhibition
ut the PrOpylaeum-Someo of Mr..
Steele's Fine Landscapes.

The artists who have work In the local
artists exhibit under the auspices of the
Art Association. now being held at the
Propylaeum, have won and are winning
their way to recognition in other centers
than indianapolis. The Indiana four. T. G.
Steele. William Forsyth, r. b. Gruelle and
Otto Stark, took their work TO Chicago sew
eral months ago and there received tribute
from press and public for the general excel
lence Of their canvases. Pictures as good
and better than those sent to Chicago now
adorn the assembly hall at the Propylaeum
and are meeting praise from connoisseurs
and lovers OF pictures.
Mr.. Steele is an Indiana man through
and through. He showed early aptitude for
art and employed the opportunities near his
home. Several years ago he went to
Munich, where he studied with Laeftz at
the Munich Academy for few years. On
his return to this city he began painting
portraits. and has continued in this work,
in which he is particularly gifted. He has
painted that Of Rev. n. A. Hyde, for the
Art Association, several for clubs and many
for private homes. Mr.. Steele's greatest
picture is 1.-The Boatman,' which he
painted soon after his return from Eu-
rope. Much Of his time has been given to
landscapes and for these he has the nature
which delights in outdoor life. Clear at
mospheres and the warmth of summer the
miSt3 or spring and the early verdure, the
ripe colorS of autumn or the frosts and
SHOWS of winter, with their attendant at
mosphere, have each in turn been trans
ferred by the deft brush of this artist In
every collection Of paintings in the city
and IN many homes of culture are pictures
by Mr.. Steele and many are owned in other
cities. One Of his latest and best landscapes
has recently been bought by the High
School and hangs in the principals room.
Mr.. Steele was one of the first instructors
in the local art school and it was due large
ly to the artistic impulse he impaired that
the school has been kept I'm existence.
Mr.. William Forsyth is recognized a
strong wielder of the brush. He spent sew
eral years abroad, studying with leading
masters and acquiring that technic which
has been the admiration Of many. Mr.. For
city and has been a leading instructor in
il for several years. He has nodded the ar
tistic taste of the younger part of the COM
munity. A few years ago Mr.. Forsyth at
tempted the impressonistic style of art and
worked almost entirely in IL for a number
of months, but he did not abandon his old
style and during last summer. when he
had more time to devote to his art than
he has had for three years, he went to
Corydon and spent three or four happy
months gathering picturesque and historic
scenes into a collection OF. oils which are
considered the strongest and best work he
has yet done. He also added to his collec-
ton several water colors which are now be-
ing exhibited in New York. A number of
his Corydon pictures form the larger part
of his share of the exhibit now in progress.
Mr.. r. u. Gruelle was born in Kentucky
and began his work with the brush a
sign painter. He loved nature. and in the
evening, when his days work was done,
he would paint pictures. He has lived In
this city for thirteen or fourteen years He
is entirely self taught, and has made nature
hiC al r. I'm Ter (nl-
ors, although his brushes know oils and
he has painted many portraits. Mr. Gruelle
spent two summers near Washington, ID.
c., and large collection of pictures was
the result of his work there. He has found
many picturesque spots nearer home, and
has made some inviting pictures out OF
building from the west side near Military
Park. Mr.. Gruelle has exhibited his pic
lures in Washington. New York, Boston.
Chicago and San Francisco. and i'm each
place some of them have been left. A large
number are owned i'm this city. Mr.. Gruelle
has made several exhibits of his work In
the private homes of the city. In addition
TO his work as an artist, he has written a
descriptive catalogue of the Walters col
| lection in Baltimore, which is a series OF
word pictures and very valuable.
Mr. Stark has spent most of his life with
| pencil and brush. He was several years i'm
Paris. where he studied art in the leading
| schools before he decided 10 locate perma-
nently in this city. Mr.. Stark has done a
great deal of figure work and his pictures
of children are influenced by his love OF
! them He has made his own little family
| the model for some of his most charming
pictures, and many are the canvases that
! have some touch of childhood in them. one
| of Mr.. Stark's largest pictures is THE
! Committee" which has been exhibited
| numbers of times and reproduced. An
! other large canvas is a garden scene with
| mother and children sitting in the shade
of the large spreading tree. Each figure is
n study and the whole a fine bit of work
| The artist has also taken each subject for
| a single picture. Mr.. Stark has skill
| decorative artist and vet he deVotes most