Friends of T.C. Steele

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News / Portfolio Items / Untitled (Tinker)

by

Theodore Clement Steele, American, 1847–1926
1890
Oil on canvas
67.31 cm x 55.25.61 cm | 26 ½ in x 21 ¾ in
Framed: 85.09 cm x 72.29 cm | 33 ½ in x 28 ½ in
Signed and dated lower right, TC Steele 1890
Owned by Columbia Club Foundation, Inc. Columbia Club, Indianapolis
Note: Portrait not available for public viewing.

This landscape painting is untitled, but subject matter experts on Steele paintings agree this painting is most likely a Tinker subject due to the structures, palette, time year, and date. 

Steele painted Tinker several times with various views:

The property remains today, now Herron High School, located at 110 E. 16th Street & Talbott Street, in the historic Herron-Morton Place Historic District. (16th Street was called Tinker Street during the Steele family’s 14 years of residence at this property).

Tinker House, Residence of T.C. Steele (first home of John Herron Art Institute)2 T.C. Steele Family at Tinker Street Residence2

The Steeles lived and had a studio at Tinker for 14 years, and there are several paintings of Tinker, some named and some not. Also, you will find this property at times referred to as Tinker, Tinker-Talbott, Talbott Place. This painting of Tinker (untitled) hangs in lobby of Columbia Club next to the entrance to the Harrison Room for fine dining. The Oval table is an artifact from the White House during President Benjamin Harrison’s term. The table has a marble top with intricate wooden details and was used in the White House from 1886-1893).

Tinker (untitled) is on left of the three paintings. Tinker (untitled) hangs along with two other paintings. The painting of President Benjamin Harrison was painted by another artist. The one on right is also Tinker and features the kiln that Steele subject matter experts believe to be used by Brandt Steele for his business Brandt Steele Pottery.

the columbia club

The Columbia Club was established in 1888 as the Harrison Marching Society to support the candidacy of General Benjamin Harrison of Indianapolis as President. After Harrison won election in that year, the society decided to incorporate as a permanent organization and chose the name Columbia Club, based on the popular alternative name for America at the time.

Columbia Club circa 18902

The Club has occupied three buildings at its prominent location on Monument Circle, and the current building opened in 1925. Designed in English Tudor style by the noted Indianapolis architects Rubush and Hunter and features lavishly appointed interiors with sculptures and plaster details by top Indiana artists.

The present building has hosted famous personalities and holds a tradition of important business and civic meetings being held at the club.

In 1926, Queen Marie of Romania was welcome to the city with a banquet at the Club, and the next year Charles Lindberg, the American Eagle, was honored at the Columbia Club for flying solo from New York to Paris.

In 1976, President Ronald Regan keynoted the annual Beefsteak Dinner held since 1891.

Painting signed lower left T.C. Steele 1890

In the previous clubhouse the four founders of the Indianapolis 500 – Carl Fisher, James A. Allison and Arthur C. Newby met in 1909 at the Club and discussed building the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In more recent years, the agreement to bring the Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis was finalized at a meeting in a Columbia Club suite.

T.C. Steele was a member of the Columbia Club during the time he and his family lived in Indianapolis (1885 – 1901).

The Columbia Club was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Special Thanks to The Columbia Club Foundation Inc.

References

1 T.C. Steele Historic Trail

2 Indiana Historical Society Digital Images

3 Columbia Club