This landmark book, the first major study of one of America's eminent Impressionists, examines the life and work of Theodore Clement Steele (1847-1926). Born in a "little log house in an orchard" near Gosport, Indiana, T. C. Steele had a lifelong love affair with the Indiana landscape, but the timeless universality of his picture-making provides his depictions of the midwestern landscape and cityscape with a welcoming familiarity that appeals to all lovers of art and nature. The thirty-eight color paintings selected for this volume, many of which have never been reproduced before, celebrate not only the beauties of Indiana but those Steele observed in his travels to Germany and the Pacific Northwest. The superb color reproductions, which capture the subtle interaction of form, color, and light in Steele's poetic and masterfully executed images reveal the universality and "beauty, harmony and order" that have earned his art renewed critical attention in recent years.

Defining an artistic era or movement is often a difficult task, as one tries to group individualistic expressions and artwork under one broad brush. Such is the case with impressionism, which culls together the art of a multitude of painters in the mid-19th century, including Monet, Cézanne, Renoir, Degas, and van Gogh. Basically, impressionism involved the shedding of traditional painting methods. The subjects of art were taken from everyday life, as opposed to the pages of mythology and history. In addition, each artist painted to express feelings of the moment instead of hewing to time-honoured standards. This description of impressionism, obviously, is quite broad and can apply to a wide array of styles. Nonetheless, it remains a very important school in the annals of art. Any current or budding art aficionado should become familiar with the impressionist movement and its impact on the art world. This book presents a sweeping study of this artistic period, from its origins to its manifestations in the works of some of art history's most revered painters. Following this overview is a substantial and selective bibliography, featuring access through author, title, and subject indexes.

At the age of fourteen, a young man in Waveland, Indiana, had taken over the family farm after the death of his father. Now responsible for taking care of his widowed mother and supporting his four brothers, he took up the reins on the plow to begin preparing the field for planting. Family legend has it that the young farmer, Theodore Clement Steele, tied “colored ribbons to the handles of the plow so that he could watch the ribbons in the wind and the effect that they had on the [surrounding] colors.” Recognizing Steele’s passion for art, his mother supported his choice to make his living as an artist. T. C. Steele, the eighth volume in the Indiana Historical Society Press’s youth biography series, traces the path of Steele’s career as an artist from his early studies in Germany to his determination to paint what he knew best, the Indiana landscape. Steele, along with fellow artists William Forsyth, Otto Stark, Richard Gruelle, and J. Ottis Adams, became a member of the renowned Hoosier Group and became a leader in the development of Midwestern art.

"Chronicles the Society of Western Artists from its inception to its last sponsored exhibit. Comprised of top artists from Indianapolis, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and Cincinnati, the annual traveling exhibition enhanced the stature of the artists' work through exposure to a wider public and by garnering reviews in the nation's art periodicals. A founding and active member of the organization, Hoosier Group artist T.C. Steele executed some of his best landscape works during the years the Society was active. ... Examines Steele's thoughts on plein air painting, his role as a catalyst for the development of regional Midwest impressionism and the Brown County Art Colony, his painting techniques, and his unwavering devotion to nature."--Back cover.

This authoritative catalogue of the Corcoran Gallery of Art's renowned collection of pre-1945 American paintings will greatly enhance scholarly and public understanding of one of the finest and most important collections of historic American art in the world. Composed of more than 600 objects dating from 1740 to 1945.