With its proximity to the cultural hub of New York City and its quieter suburban and rural landscapes, Connecticut was fertile ground for artists and writers in the period of Modernist movements between 1913 and 1979. Many of these cultural figures are well known through biographical and critical studies. Creative Places seeks to show how place played a significant role in creative work, and how in turn the artists and writers influenced communities in Connecticut.
Johnny Gruelle
Illustration, Children's Literature
1880 – 1938
- Biography/Description of Work
John Barton Gruelle was an American political cartoonist, illustrator and author of children’s books. He grew up in Indianapolis Indiana, where he began submitting cartoons and comics to the local papers, often signing them “Grue.” He had such confidence in his designs that often he would create the final ink work without first sketching in pencil. Gruelle is best known as the creator of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. He first created and patented a Raggedy Ann in 1915, and in 1918 his “Raggedy Ann Stories” were published. In 1920, Raggedy Andy was introduced in the stories and as a companion doll. These characters were created, the stories published and the dolls mass-produced while Gruelle resided in Connecticut. By 1910, he lived in the Silvermine section of New Canaan, and later in the Wilton Silvermine area until 1932 when he moved to Florida.
- Sources view
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Gruelle, http://www.raggedyann.cc/johnny_gruelle.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raggedy_Ann, http://www.raggedy-ann.com/jgill.html, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0344384/ John Gruelle Article - New York Times - 1937-2-5, John Gruelle Article - New York Times - 1977-5-1, John Gruelle Article - New York Times - 1992-8-9, John Gruelle Obituary - New York Times - 1938-1-10, John Gruelle Raggedy Ann Article - New York Times - 1971-7-31, John Gruelle Sons Article - The Hartford Courant - 1975-7-6
- Associated Resource(s)