The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Koehler, Robert

KOEHLER, kėlėr, Robert, American artist: b. Hamburg, Germany, 28 Nov. 1850. He came with his parents to the United States in 1854; was educated at Milwaukee, Wis., and learned lithography which he practised in Pittsburgh, Pa., and New York. After studying drawing in the night classes of the National Academy of Design, he went to Munich, where he learned painting under Loefftz and Defregger and chose genre and portraiture as his special field of activity. In 1893 he was appointed director of the Minneapolis School of Art, and director emeritus since 1914; president of the Minnesota State Art Commission from 1903 to 1910; member of the Artists' League of Minneapolis; honorary member of the Minnesota State Art Society; honorary member of the Alumni Association of the Minneapolis School of Art; member of the Society of Western Artists; member of Institute des Beaux Arts et des Lettres of Paris, France. Author and lecturer on art subjects. Organized the American Department at the International Art Exhibitions at Munich in 1883 and 1888. Received bronze and silver medals at the Munich Academy, honorable mention at the Paris World's Fair, 1889, bronze medal at the International Art Exhibition at Buenos Aires in 1910, cross of the Order of Saint Michael of Bavaria in 1888. Represented by paintings in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (“A Holiday Occupation”), the German Historical Museum, Berlin (“The Strike”), Minneapolis Institute of Arts (“Study Head”), Minneapolis Athletic Club (“Violet”), State University of Minnesota (“Portrait of Dean Wulling”), Public Library at Alexandria, Minn. (“Portrait”), Memorial Library at Blue Earth, Minn. (“Portrait”); other paintings, “The Carpenter's Family,” “Her Only Support,” “The Socialist,” “The Family Bible,” “Salve Luna,” “First Snow.”