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At Entrance of Park

News / Portfolio Items / At Entrance of Park

June 20, 2023 by Friends of T.C. Steele

oil on canvas of dirt road leading to gate in the woods in yellow, green and blue hues

Theodore Clement Steele, American, 1847–1926
1915
Oil on canvas
76.2 cm x 101.6 cm | 30 in x 40 in
Signed and dated lower right / T.C. Steele 1915
Gold leaf period frame
By permission, Owen County Public Library

In February 1916, The Indianapolis Propylaeum held an exhibition of some twenty T.C. Steele Paintings. Upon conclusion of this event, the Spencer Public Library (now the Owen County Public Library), worked with Mr. Steele to exhibit this work in their library, not far from the farm where T.C. Steele was born. 

At Entrance to a Park was displayed at the Spencer Public Library in Owen County in an exhibition of some twenty T.C. Steele paintings in 1916. The artist attended the exhibition and agreed to sell the library one of the paintings upon completion of the exhibit.

newspaper clipping
The Owen Leader1

The story which tells about the acquisition of At Entrance to Park was covered in the newspaper, Owen Leader, in February of 1916.1

“In 1894, Mr. Steele and wife, who has since died, spent the summer here at the old Fletcher home and during his stay made a number of finished pictures and sketches that attracted much favorable comment from critics and the library board hoped to obtain one of these but are all sold. 

T.G. Pierson, a member of the board, called on Mr. Steele recently at his Indianapolis studio and talked the matter over, and the artist agreed to sell any picture the committee might select at half price. The final understanding arrived at was that following Mr. Steele’s exhibit, now on at the Propylaeum, he will send some twenty paintings to Spencer for exhibit, and from these a selection might be made.”

Be sure to visit the Owen County Public Library in Spencer, Indiana and view this beautiful painting when traveling the T.C. Steele Historic Trail, Stop 1, Owen County.

Special thanks to Owen County Public Library.


1 The Owen Leader, Spencer, Indiana, Wednesday, Feb 10, 1916, Volume III, Number 12 front page.

This painting is featured on the T.C. Steele Historic Trail.

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PO Box 1070
Nashville, IN 47448
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