Richard Buckner Gruelle

Artist: Richard Buckner Gruelle
Birth: February 22, 1851
Birth City: Cynthiana Kentucky
Birth County: Harrison
Death: November 8th, 1914
Death City: Indianapolis, In.
Burial: Crown Hill
Married: Alice Benton (B? - d1935
Children: Johnny Barton (1880-1938), Justin Carlyle (1889 - 1978), Prudence (1884 - 1966)

Artist Summary

Formal Training: Self-Taught
Subject Matter: Portraits, Landscapes
Media: Oil, Watercolor, Gouache
Art Associations: Art Association of Indianapolis, Society of Western Artists (1896-1914), New Canaan Society of Artists, Hoosier Salon
Art Awards:
Art Exhibition: Louisiana Purchase Expo, St Louis Worlds Fair 1904

Biography of Richard Buckner Gruelle

The Early Years (1851 - 1879)

Richard Buckner was the last child of ten siblings, seven brothers, and three sisters and was born on February 22nd, 1851, in the town of Cynthiana, KY. At the age of six years old, his father moved the family to Arcola, IL. At an early age, Richard was a talented artist, but his father could not afford to send him to any type of formal training or art school. When Richard was 12 o 3, he sought work with a local sign painter and began a three-year apprenticeship. It was at this time he learned to mix paints and started teaching himself to paint by reading art instruction books.

Richard Gruelle Art Carrer 1880 to 1914

Richard eventually moved to Decatur, IL, established an art studio, and married Alice Benton. In 1880 the Gruell's had their first child, Johnny Barton Gruelle. In 1882 the Gruelle's moved to Indianapolis, In. and purchased a home on Tacoma Avenue. It was at this time Richard established himself as a professional artist. Richard would often travel out to the east coast to sketch and painting scenes of Glouster, Maryland, Baltimore, and Washington DC. In 1889 the Gruell's had their second child Justin. Richard's career as an artist began to prosper, and the well-known Indiana poet James Whitcomb Rily hired Richard to illustrated several of his poems. Also, during 1891, Richard was invited to Washington DC by Herbert Hess to paint the Capital. In 1892 a private art collector named William Thompson Walters asked Richard to his home to view his extensive art collection. In 1897 Gruelle was commissioned to paint marine landscapes in Gloucester, Massachusetts, which he did for several summers. In 1905 Richard rented his house then moved the family to New York City in hopes of finding a better opportunity to support his growing family. They rented a place on 23rd street close to 6th Avenue and lived there before returning to Indianapolis in 1907. In 1910 Richard and his wife moved to the town of Norwalk, Connecticut, where they shared a sixteen-acre property with their three grown children.
Gruelle focused on painting seascape and frequently returned to Indianapolis to visit the family and display his artwork. He suffered a stroke in 1912 and passed away two years later on November 14th, 1914, while in Indianapolis visiting family.

Top Five Facts about Richard Gruelle

Illustrated James Whitcomb Riley's poem "The Old Swimmin' Hole" and "When the Frost is on the Punkin."
Gruelle's oldest son was the creator of the Raggedy Ann doll and related books.
Richard Gruelle was considered an artistic jack-of-all-trades.
Richard Gruelle was considered a self-taught artist.
Gruelle is well-known for his book Notes: Critical and Biographical Collection of W. T. Walters (1895)

List of paintings submitted by Richard Gruelle at the annual Society of Western Artists Exhibition.

The Twelfth Annual Exhibition of “The Society of Western Artists” submitted four paintings titled Moonlight, Gloucester.
The Thirteenth Annual Exhibition of “The Society of Western Artists” submitted two paintings titled A glimpse from Central Park, New York, A suburban ideal.

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