William C. Grauer Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

After creating murals for the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia in 1932, together Grauer and his wife founded and co-directed the successful Old White Art Colony, School and Gallery, which they continued to frequent during the summer months in the 1930s and 1940s. Grauer’s involvement in West Virginia also included his West Virginia murals for the West Virginia exhibitions at the 1933 Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago and the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City. William C. Grauer (1895-1985) William C. Grauer (1895-1985) was born in Philadelphia to German immigrant parents. After attending the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art, Grauer received a four year scholarship from the City of Philadelphia to pursue post graduate work. It was during this time that Grauer began working as a designer at the Decorative Stained Glass Co. in Philadelphia. Following his World War I service in France, Grauer moved to Akron, Ohio where he opened a studio in 1919 with his future brother-in-law, the architect George Evans Mitchell. Soon, the Rorimer-Brooks design company, the developer Van Swerngen brothers, as well as the Sterling Welch and Halle Bros. department stores realized the extent of Grauer's talent and eagerly employed him. Grauer’s work during this time included architectural renderings for Shaker Square, Moreland Courts, and other many other projects commissioned by Cleveland architects. Grauer also remained true to his roots as a master designer of stained glass windows. With his work in such high demand, Grauer received a commission in 1921 to paint murals for the French Grill Room of the Kansas City Club...

untitled (Rocks along the Coast) Gouache and watercolor on paper, c. 1950 Signed with the estate stamp signature lower left (see photo) This is a preliminary study for a large exhibition painting...

The Model Watercolor on paper, c. 1930 signed lower right (see photo) Condition: Excellent A few bits of adhesive residue verso Colors fresh and unfaded Housed in a Marin style metal gilt frame Sheet size: 19 1/4 x 25 1/4 inches Frame size: 30 x 35-1/2 x 1-1/2 inches A major example of the artist's cubist watercolors Provenance: Estate of the artist By decent to his daughter Gretchen Realted to a watercolor illustrated in William H. Robinson and Christine Fowler Shearer, "Against the Grain: Modernism in the Midwest," American Art Review Vol. XXII, no. 4 (August 2010), page 86 William C. Grauer (1895-1985) William C. Grauer (1895-1985) was born in Philadelphia to German immigrant parents. After attending the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art, Grauer received a four year scholarship from the City of Philadelphia to pursue post graduate work. It was during this time that Grauer began working as a designer at the Decorative Stained Glass Co. in Philadelphia. Following his World War I service in France, Grauer moved to Akron, Ohio where he opened a studio in 1919 with his future brother-in-law, the architect George Evans...

untitled (Hillside in Spring) Gouache on paper, c. 1965 Signed with the estate stamp lower right Provenance: Estate of the artist by decent William C. Grauer (1895-1985) was born in Philadelphia to German immigrant parents. After attending the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art, Grauer received a four year scholarship from the City of Philadelphia to pursue post graduate work. It was during this time that Grauer began working as a designer at the Decorative Stained Glass Co. in Philadelphia. Following his World War I service in France, Grauer moved to Akron, Ohio where he opened a studio in 1919 with his future brother-in-law, the architect George Evans...