Theodore Clement Steele Original Antique Hoosier Indiana American Impressionist Still Life Oil Painting
Original antique floral still life oil on board painting of roses, peonies, blue cosmos, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, and other flowers in a basket on a carved table, by American Indiana Hoosier Group artist, Theodore Clement Steele, (1847-1926). The table has a carved design that resembles heart shapes, and was likely a gift for his second wife, created in approximately 1908. The layers of impressionism are awash in vibrant color. The painting is in very good to excellent original condition, and is signed in the lower right. The painting measures appeoximately 14" x 14", sans frame. In frame, the entire artwork measures approximately 15.8" x 15.8". The painting is still housed in the original antique frame, and is in stable condition, but could use restoration. Please carefully review all images as a necessary and supplemental addition to the written condition report, for quality assurance.
Theodore Clement Steele, (T.C. Steele), was a prominent American Impressionist painter and a leading figure of the "Hoosier Group" of Indiana artists. Known for his Indiana landscapes, and skilled portraits, Steele was an innovative and influential artists in the Midwest during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Theodore Clement Steele was born in Owen County, Indiana on September 11, 1847. His family moved to Waveland, Indiana five years later, where he developed an early interest in art.
Steele's early training began at the Waveland Collegiate Institute, and later at Asbury College, (now DePawl University). He also studied briefly in Chicago and Cincinnati, before settling in Indianapolis as a professional portrait artist.
With financial support from a group of Indiana patrons, Steele traveled to Europe in 1880. He spent five years studying at the Royal Academy in Munich, Germany, where he earned a silver medal. While his formal training was academic, he was also influenced by the plein air, (outdoor), landscape painting adopted by other expatriate artists.
After returning to Indiana in 1885, Steele's painting style evolved from the darker, more realistic Munich style, toward a brighter, more vibrant, impressionist technique. His focus shifted from portraiture to landscapes, especially capturing the distinctive seasons and light of the Indiana countryside.
T.C. Steele was a founder and leading figure of the Hoosier Group of American Impressionist painters, which also included J. Ottis Adams, William Forsyth, and Otto Stark. The group's work was featured at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, in Chicago.
After the death of his first wife, Mary Lakin Steele, in 1899, Steele remarried, and in 1907, bought 211 acres in Brown County, Indiana. He and his second wife, Selma Neubacher Steele, built a home and studio there that they named, "The House of the Singing Winds".
Steele's presence helped establish the renowned Brown County Art Colony, attracting other artists to the area known for its scenic hills and forests.
In 1922, Steele became Indiana University's first artist in residence, where he served as an Honorary Professor of Painting, until his passing.
Theodore Clement Steele passed away in his Brown County home on July 24, 1926. The property is now the T.C. Steele State Historic Site, preserving his home, studio, and art. His work is held in the collections of numerous museums, including, but not limited to, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, the Richmond Art Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
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