Theodore Clement Steele
(1847-1926)

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T. C. Steele was an American painter known for his Indiana landscapes. Steele was born in Owen County, Indiana but spent much of his career in Indianapolis. Steele studied in a number of cities ranging from Cincinnati, Chicago and Munich.

Steele is considered to be one of the most important painters from Indiana and is associated with the Hoosier Group. Steele painted impressionist landscapes and portraits, by which he was able to make a decent living. Steele painted the Indiana poet James Whitcomb Riley as well as many political figures. Landscapes were his passion and often painted on site.

Steele was successful in exhibiting and was selected to be a part of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904 and was elected to the National Academy of Design a few years later.

Steele bought a house with fellow painter J. Ottis Adams in Brookville, Indiana. After the death of Steele’s wife, he left the house named “The Hermitage” to Adams. Steele later moved to Brown County, Indiana with his second wife and built “House of the Singing Winds”. Steele was influential in forming a strong art colony within Brown County.

Steele became a celebrity artist in Indiana as was awarded an honorary master's degree from Wabash College and an honorary doctorate from Indiana University. T.C. Steele’s paintings are in numerous collections in Indiana and across the United States. Do you think you own a painting by T.C. Steele? Contact us. We are the T.C. Steele experts.