Frederick Ruple

Frederick Ruple (September 19, 1871 - May 23, 1938 ) was a 20th-century Swiss-American painter, primarily of portraits. The Oklahoma Land Run of 1889 inspired Ruple to create his most famous painting "The Spirit of '89".

As a painter, Ruple took commission jobs that came from builders and decorators who hired him to paint murals and designs on public buildings. The work he did along these lines was among the most prominent in America. Hermann and Barbara were divorced on November 12, 1874, according to Schaffhausen court records. Frederick was 3 years old at that time. When Frederick Ruple was 14 he became an apprentice to an artificial limb manufacturer. In the summer of 1887, he attended the General school. When he was 16 years old he lived in Spores Gasse 16, Basel. He was in training as a photographer with Emil Gassler, at Aeschenvorstadt 42. On Gassler's poster it says in German: "Photographien in allen grossen portrait in oel"; in English this is: "Photographs in all sizes, portraits in oil". The painting "General Nathan Bedford Forrest" depicts the Confederate war hero at the Battle at Bogler's Creek, Alabama, mounted on King Phillip with his sword drawn, surrounded by federals. The work shows General Forrest mounted on King Phillip, his sword sheathed, surrounded by his men.

Other major works

The painting "Tribal Camp Fire" hangs in the John Burroughs school building in Tulsa, OK.

While in Fayetteville he painted portraits of Dr. H. D. Wood and Major D. R. Davidson.

Portraits

Most of Ruple's fame came from celebrity portraits in Arkansas and Oklahoma, such as Confederate Generals and known politicians. His subjects included former United States Senator Robert L. Owen of Oklahoma; Supreme Court Judge U.M. Rose of Little Rock, Ark.; the father of Senator Joe Robinson; J.S. Parks and E. B. Kinsworthy, former Attorney-General of Arkansas; Mrs. Walter Ferguson, newspaper columnist; her husband, Arkansas Senator Caraway.; Judge Thomas of Muskogee, and William Busy of McAlester. William Busy of McAlester

In Batesville, Fayetteville and Fort Smith, Arkansas a number of his portraits survive.

Murals

Paul Heerwagen was an interior decorator who used Frederick Ruple to paint the four murals in the Capital Building in Little Rock, murals in the Strand Theater in Shreveport, LA, and murals of the Sahara Shrine Temple at Pine Bluff.

Gallery