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.
Alexander J. Rummler
Illustration, Painting/Drawing
1867 – 1959
Rummler was an illustrator and WPA artist. He often painted the local oyster industry and included residents of Norwalk in his works. He attained national renown for a short period with a painting of the signing of the WWI armistice for billboards throughout the country.
- Biography/Description of Work
Alexander J. Rummler was born in Iowa in 1867 and attended school in Detroit, Michigan before going to the Art Students League in New York City. In 1892, he married Maria Richmond Bonner. In 1906, he moved his family to Paris to study at the Academie Julian with Jean Paul Laurens, and returned to the States in 1907, settling in South Norwalk. Rummler made a living in illustration, including for billboards, and painting. He also became a popular painter of miniatures on ivory. From 1937-1941, he painted the 16 murals in the Norwalk High School (now the City Hall) and earned $98-$103 a month for his work. Rummler was a member of the Salmagundi Club and the Silvermine Guild of Artists, and in 1939 he exhibited at the New York World’s Fair. Both Rummler and his wife were involved in Norwalk’s local community: Rummler became the City Treasurer and was a member of the Board of Education; his wife was active in the Women’s Republican Club, and became the first woman to be elected to the Norwalk City Council. They moved to Stamford in 1942 where they died a few months apart in 1959.
- Sources view
- WPA Art Inventory: http://wpa.cslib.org/index.php/547/rummler-alexander/; Carley, Rachel. Creative Places: Modern Arts and Letters in Connecticut. Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation & State Historic Preservation Office, 2014; The New York Times (1851-2010) accessed through ProQuest Historical Newspapers on 7/14/2014
Oyster Industry Depicted in Norwalk High School Mural – November 7, 1937
A. J. Rummler Dead; Commercial Artist – March 15, 1959
Mrs. A. J. Rummler, Ex-Norwalk Aide – July 1, 1959
Norwalk Rejects a Plan for a New High School – June 10, 1965
New Norwalk High School – April 24, 1969
Norwalk Rediscovers a Trove of Murals – September 9, 1984
Norwalk Seeks Renewed Glory of W.P.A. Art – January 13, 1986
Norwalk’s Depression Murals To Regain Their Luster – April 27, 1986 - Associated Resource(s)