JUSTIN C.
GRUELLE, 1889 – 1978
MABEL BROWN
GRUELLE, 1887 – 1974
Outline for talk by Bill Smart,
Alpine California Historical Society, February 17, 2014
Gruelle Family of Artists, living in their shadows
Richard
B. Gruelle (1851 – 1914) Justin’s father and mentor, Hoosier
Group of Painters,
The Canal – Morning, 1894, Indianapolis
Art Museum,
Author, Notes:
Critical & Biographical, Collection of W. T. Walters
Johnny Gruelle
(1880 – 1938) Justin’s older brother, creator of Raggedy Ann
and Andy books and dolls. Justin added color to early
drawings, painted doll faces, illustrated five
books after Johnny’s death.
Prudence (Grue) Gruelle
Brown (1884 – 1966) Justin’s older sister, author,
Meadow Folks Story Hour, vaudeville
circuit, “Singing Cartoonist”
Justin C. Gruelle (1889 – 1978) See
“Justin C. Gruelle” blogsite, The Indiana, New York and Silvermine,
Connecticut Years, Bill Smart’s outline for talk at New
Canaan Historical Society, February 26, 2010.
October 1954, Recently retired and westward bound
Tired of Connecticut snow-bound winters, Mabel and
Justin Gruelle drove to Indianapolis to visit family and friends and on to Sedona, Arizona to visit grandchildren.
November / December, 1954
They rented an apartment in Altadena, California near international headquarters, The Theosophical Society and Press, Pasadena.
Gruelle had earlier been president of their Silvermine Connecticut lodge. He
created drawings in color, black and white for a children’s book, Once Round
The Sun, painted a portrait of Theosophical Society Leader Colonel
Arthur Conger, and printed a silk-screen image of their headquarters building.
January / June, 1955, Justin’s Early Birds mural moved
to California
Gruelle’s history of early aviation mural, commissioned
in 1940 by Clarence deGiers, for
the lobby of Liquidometer Corporation, Long Island City, NY, was being presented to western headquarters,
Institute of Aeronautical Sciences, Los Angeles. DeGiers asked Gruelle to paint an additional panel for the mural
and supervise its installation. DeGiers and Gruelle had been friends since 1917 when
they worked together in the advertising
art department of Kelly-Springfield Tire Company, NY.
Artist Justin
Gruelle and wife Mabel were asked to extend their California visit for recognition at Fifth International
Aeronautical Conference Banquet, Los Angeles. Executives of aviation-related companies praised his unique
artistic and technical skills.
July
to December, 1955
“We went back to Connecticut and sold our Silvermine
property.” Mabel's note card.
November
27, 1955, First awareness of Alpine, California
At a
farewell luncheon in New York Bill Smart encouraged his aunt and uncle to investigate Alpine where he had a
memorable visit in 1946 after discharge from the U.S. Navy.
January 1956, Their Move from Connecticut to Alpine
“We
returned to California to find a home. In less than a week we had decided on this place in Alpine which we love
and were moving before the month was out”. This is the view from the north side of our place and the whole underside is Justin’s
studio, workshop and dark room.“ Mabel Brown Gruelle, Christmas
card, 1956.
August 2,
1957, two murals, History of Naval Aviation (Gruelle on the right)
“A pair of 7’
x 12’ murals were hung yesterday in the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences Building at 3380 North Harbor
Drive. They depict early days of naval aviation. They are being displayed as part of the national aviation week
meeting here next week. The murals
present a graphic picture of old naval aircraft and some of the pioneers. Gruelle painted both of the murals
in a little more than six weeks. He said it usually takes him about six months to paint murals of this
size.” San Diego
Evening Tribune
Building was later
closed, murals moved to an unknown location, probably in California?
1957, The Mythology and History of Flight , sketches for proposed Air and
Space Museum murals
Executives
of west coast aviation manufacturing companies were impressed with Gruelle’s technical and artistic
skills in creating the Early Birds and History of Naval
Aviation murals. They
encouraged him to do research on the mythology and history of flight and create designs for decorative mural
panels for a proposed National Air and Space Museum, for Washington, DC or on the West Coast.
Gruelle did extensive historical research and created pencil and chalk sketches for five mural panels for the proposed museum.
August 29, 1958, portrait of Major Rueben H. Fleet unveiled
In May, 1918 Major Fleet was the first pilot to fly
U.S. mail by air, from New York to Washington, DC. Gruelle’s portrait of Convair
Corporation CEO was on view at Rueben
H. Fleet Aeronautical Library, Institute of Aeronautical Sciences branch, North
Harbor Drive, San Diego. When the San
Diego building was closed, the painting was moved
to San Diego Air and Space Museum, Balboa Park.
1959, Stations of the Cross Paintings for Queen of Angels Catholic Church, Alpine
Justin Gruelle had strong religious and spiritual beliefs. Although not Roman Catholic, he and the local priest became good friends and had long discussions about how artists through the ages had interpreted Jesus Christ, his life, death and resurrection. Gruelle painted near-life-size images of his version of the 14 stations of the cross as his contribution to the new community church. The priest contributed masonite panels and paint. Family members and locals served as models.
June 4, 1961, El Cajon Valley News
“These
paintings picturing scenes in the life of Jesus have a depth of intensity and
color not seen in the
painter’s other work. They
go from light to darkness and back again; they have no beginning and no end; they are limitless in time and space.
This is beauty balanced with the quality
of creation."
“Of all Gruelle’s self-termed‘impersonal record keeping this is probably the portion of his work that will be remembered longest. It is his
only venture into the field of religious
art.” Jean Hedger
1960
/ 1965, serigraph / silk-screen printing, Mabel and Justin Gruelle cottage industry
Greeting note cards with views of Alpine include 2
views of Catholic Church, 2 of Community
Church, downtown Alpine, Women’s Club and Victoria Rock. San Diego views include Balboa Park, Father Junipero
Serra Mission Museum and his statue.
April,
1960, Annual La Mesa Foothills Art Association Membership Show
Justin
Gruelle won first prize for a portrait painting.
June
12, 1960, Tea honoring Gruelle at La Mesa Fine Arts Center
“The artist’ s work now on display includes
landscapes and winter scenes painted
near his former home in Connecticut and in mountain country near Alpine. Watercolors, oils, and pastels are his media. Portraits
are shown in the one man show and a
self portrait is included.”
May
10, 1967, Letter from Justin Gruelle to Bill Smart
“In the last
letter from Dr. Paul Garber (Assistant Director, Smithsonian National
Air and Space Museum, Washington) he spoke of future decorations for the new Washington Air and Space Museum building. He mentioned
the series of pencil sketches and research
that I had done on the history of flight in 1957, which he liked extremely well.”
Gruelle’s
original research and detailed pencil and chalk sketches were sent to the Smithsonian and their receipt was acknowledged. They were never used, never returned
and there is no record that they existed. Photo copies and notes survived.
May
12th, 1970, Gruelle's Early Birds mural
added to collection of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC. Rolled-up canvas shipped by Railway Express from California to DC.
“The transfer of
ownership of the “Early Birds” panel has finally taken place and the
painting is now in the
National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian. That a piece of Gruelle family ‘handiwork should
become a part of the Smithsonian collection is a pleasant thought." Justin Gruelle
December
10, 1970, Letter from E. W. Robischon, National
Air and Space Museum
“At long last we
have finished the restoration of your mural and placed it on display in the National Air and Space Museum. The
photograph is taken from a position under Lindberg’s
airplane while the Wright Flyer is suspended ahead of Lindbergh’s airplane and
to the right. The Early
Bird mural is therefore in the most prominent spot of the museum.”
December
31, 1970, Justin Gruelle letter to Bill
Smart
“The Early Bird organization held
their yearly reunion in Washington this year and a number of group pictures were taken in front of our “brain
child.” We feel that
all this is a nice New Year’s
present given to us.”
September 16, 1971, Justin Gruelle Letter to E.W. Robischon, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
“I have
your letter with its thought of me doing some future panels to go along with the Early
Bird painting. My physical capacity and artistic expertness for doing a serious mural painting is no longer with me.
What a wonderful project this would have been if I were twenty years younger! But I fear old father Time
can’t lesson my eighty two years.”
1971
Removal of Mural to Storage
After
its 1970 - 1971 exhibition at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the Early Birds mural was placed in
storage awaiting Congressional appropriations to construct a new Air and Space Museum on the Mall.
Grand Opening of new Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington
When it opened in 1975 the Early Birds mural was not on display. It had disappeared from sight and from their records. Repeated inquiries in person and in correspondence confirmed that there was no record of its existence in the current museum collection or archives and no record of what had happened to it.
1971,
Sale of Liquidometer Corporation business and buildings in New York and Vermont
No information was available to
Gruelle as to disposition of his three remaining 1940’s American Scientists and Inventors murals in the lobby of
Liquidometer Corporation, Long
Island City, New York. An 18’ x 7’ photo copy of the Early Birds panel
had replaced the original
canvas when removed in 1955. There was no information on the four 1950’s landscape murals in Liquidometer’s
manufacturing facility in Bellows Falls, Vermont.
1974,
Gruelle’s 8 Works Progress Administration 1936 – 1938 murals in schools and
libraries of Norwalk, Connecticut moved to storage
Six Mark Twain murals, Aladdin
and his lamp and Chinese Nightingale murals awaiting funds for conservation, restoration
and relocation.
1975,
Little Red School House, New Canaan, CT closed. Five WPA murals out-of-sight
Future disposition of Gruelle’s five
Aesop’s Fables 1936 WPA murals in question.
1975, Aristotle Quotation WPA Mural in New Canaan High School Library
Removed
for possible restoration and placement in a new building addition.
God’s Acre Mural, New Canaan Green, 25’ x 8’ 7”
Commissioned in 1952 by Union Trust Bank, later First
Union Bank, and then a restaurant. Plans
announced to close the bank, to be occupied by
a restaurant, with removal of mural with unknown future.
May 1974, Death of Mabel Brown Gruelle in Alpine
Her hand-painted china is on view in museums and
private collections. Cremains interred in Gruelle Family plot, Crown Hill
Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana, no marker.
January 2 – 3, 1978, Final Visit with Justin in San
Diego, living near daughter Jayne
Smart
had called from New York during the 1977 holidays to wish his uncle good health
in the new year. Gruelle said that he would be reaching his 89h year
in July, and added, “It will soon be time to pass-over.” Smart made an
immediate air reservation to fly to
California.
On January 2nd, 1978 they drove through Old Town to see
the Mission and statue of Father Juniperro Sierra drawn on Gruelle’s silk-screen.
Later he signed print 52 of the San Diego mission , “For Bill, With deep
affection.”They visited San Diego Air
and Space Museum in Balboa Park to view the Major Fleet portrait. They drove
along the Pacific Ocean and watched the lingering afterglow of colors from a
beautiful sunset as the sky changed to reveal a galaxy of stars in the universe
beyond.
Gruelle showed
Smart his archival scrapbooks with photos, clippings and recollections of a lifetime of creative works.
Gruelle was disappointed that so many of his
murals and other works were “lost” or no longer on view. He emphasized his satisfaction that he had the vision and the
pleasure of creating them. Smart promised
his uncle that he would make every effort to continue to search for his favorite Early
Birds mural and other “presumed lost”
art works.
Before Smart left for NY Gruelle presented him with his last canvas, painted
from his workshop / studio in Alpine,
“Shadows
in the Valley” with mountain views.
February 22, 1978, Major Fleet Portrait destroyed in
museum fire
Gruelle was saddened to learn that his prized portrait painting was “lost” in a devastating fire at San Diego Air and Space
Museum in Balboa Park.
April 20, 1978, Death of Justin C. Gruelle in San
Diego.
His cremains are interred with no marker at
Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana
in the Gruelle family plot
next to his wife, Mabel and parents, Alice and Richard
B. Gruelle.
AFTERGLOW: The Legacy Continues
1995, Early Birds mural, lost from view for 25 years, discovered
at Dorchester County Museum, Cambridge, MD by nephew Bill Smart and wife Diane.
It had been
de-accessed from the National Air and Space Museum Collection and was located
high on a wall of an old airplane hangar on the former Francis DuPont estate, now property of the
University of Maryland.
2002, Early Birds presented to Smart
After several visits to photograph the mural President Dale Price and his Museum Board offered to give the mural to
Smart in order to find an appropriate
and more permanent home before the final closing
of the museum. Smart contacted
several museums. Indiana Historical Society,
Bruce Johnson, VP, agreed to pay for removal and shipping to Indianapolis for December 2003
exhibit of The First 100 Years of Flight.
2003, exhibition at Indiana Historical Society,
Indianapolis.
Exhibited in lobby during 100th anniversary
celebration of Wright Brothers’
first flight, (Wilbur had been born in Indiana). It then went back to storage awaiting results of a fund raising
campaign. cover story, Traces magazine, Spring, 2003. Article had
widespread distribution on internet.
McGaw Foundation, Seattle. WA requested IHS to loan or
sell mural for exhibition at Museum of
Flight, Seattle. Smart agreed to transfer.
2006, extensive conservation and restoration at
Indianapolis Museum, paid for by McGaw Foundation with shipment to Seattle.
November 2007, permanently installed at
Museum of Flight in Seattle
History of Aviation Gallery, Boeing Red Barn Wing.
1998 Justin
Gruelle’s archival scrapbooks viewed
again by Smart 20 years later
Justin’s
daughter, Jayne Gruelle Comerford, Bandon,
Oregon presented scrapbooks to her cousin
to add to his JCG archives and collections.
“You will know what to do with these.”
2001, Eight Justin Gruelle W.P.A. murals.
Restored and exhibited in Norwalk, CT City Hall
Gallery and libraries.
2009, - 2010 New Canaan, Connecticut Historical Society Galleries.
Exhibit of Justin
C. Gruelle and family art . Bill Smart
invited to speak about the Silvermine years of the family. See previous blog
entry.
80th Anniversary edition, A Mother Goose Parade,
written / illustrated by JCG.
Facsimilie
edition of original 1929 P. F. Volland Company children’s book published for
distribution during New Canaan Historical Exhibit, September, 2009 until
February, 2010. Gruelle’s original pencil drawings with color were on loan from
Baldwin Library of Children’s Literature Collection, University of Florida,
Gainesville. Books available from museum book stores or from nephew Bill Smart,
pwmsmart@gmail.com
December, 2011, Donation of Diane and Bill Smart Collection
of Justin Gruelle’s Connecticut
paintings, illustrations and silk screen prints to City of Norwalk, Connecticut.
Now on exhibit in City Hall Galleries alongside Gruelle’s
W.P. A. murals. See “Norwalk
Thanks Bill Smart” interview, December 17, 2011 Justin C. Gruelle
blogsite.
2013, GRUELLE’S 25’ x 8’ mural of New Canaan Village
Green,
Painted in 1952 for a New Canaan bank. Had been removed
when property sold and stored at New Canaan Historical Society. Now
restored and permanently installed at
New Canaan High School.
 |
| Igor Sikorsky and the invention of his helicopter |
 |
| Giant telescopes on Mount Palomar and the electronic microscope |
 |
| American scientists and inventors |
August
5, 2013, Re-discovery of 3 of Gruelle’s Liquidometer
1940s “lost” murals in New York State by Bill Smart and daughter Anita.
Igor Sikorsky and his
invention of the Helicopter, Telescope on Palomar Mountain and Electron Microscope, and American Inventors and
Scientists. Awaiting decision of
current owners of building purchased from Liquidometer in 1971 as to their future. A new entrance
lobby had been opened on an adjacent street. Original lobby stairwell with four large murals functions as an
interior stairwell, poorly lighted, between
3 floors of the building. Still missing are
four Liqidometer landscape murals
originally installed in their manufacturing plant in Bellows Falls, Vermont, believed to have been given
to employees when building was sold
in 1971.
February 17, 2014, Alpine Historical Society,
California
Bill Smart was invited to talk, with power-point
presentation, about later works of
Justin and Mabel Gruelle during their California years, 1955 -1978. It
was a follow-up to Smart’s February, 2010 talk to New Canaan Historical Society about Gruelle’s Silvermine
Years that ended in 1955 with their move
to California.
There are still lost pieces and the search for
other works continues…
for more information, contact Bill Smart at pwmsmart@gmail.com
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