Gruger, Frederic Rodrigo

Frederic Rodrigo Gruger was born on August 2, 1871 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended the American Academy of Art in Philadelphia, and worked as an illustrator from the 1890s to the 1950s. He died in New York City on March 21, 1953.

From the description of Frederic Rodrigo Gruger collection, 1911-1935 (inclusive). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702170922

From the guide to the Frederic Rodrigo Gruger collection, 1911-1935, (Manuscripts and Archives)

Frederic Rodrigo Gruger (1871-1953) was one of the leading magazine artist and illustrators of the early 20th century. Born in Philadelphia to John P. Gruger and Rebecca Rodrigo Gruger in 1871, he demonstrated an early aptitude for drawing. With the encouragement of a friendly art department manager, Gruger studied and copied the drawings of notable 19c illustrators, such as E.A. Abbey, Charles Reinhart and Charles Keene, while he was still a young boy. Gruger pursued his formal education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.

Gruger began his career as a newspaper artist for various Philadelphia newspapers in 1891. Here he developed the photographic memory and eye for detail which later enabled him to draw convincing illustrations without the assistance of models. His first illustrations for a magazine serial appeared in the Saturday Evening Post (in 1898), which was the beginning of a long and successful association with the Post. During the peak of the illustrated magazine era, Gruger provided drawings for hundreds of stories in numerous magazines. He won several awards for his work.

From the guide to the Frederic Rodrigo Gruger papers, 1920-1953, 1891-1973, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries)