Artist and art instructor. Born in St. Louis, Wuerpel's earliest studies were pursued under the guidance of his eldest sister on his father's ranch in Mexico. later he attended a Spanish school in Mexico and became a pupil at Toensfeldt's Educational Institute in St. Louis. He then took classes at Washington University and graduated with the highest honors. He then entered the undergraduate department of Washington University with the intention of fitting himself for a Civil Engineer but was compelled to give up his studies in his sophomore year due to ill health.After an interval of some years, he entered the St. Louis School of Fine Arts and from there went abroad and studied at the Julian Academy and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He also studied independently in the galleries of France, England, Germany, Holland, Belgium and Spain. In 1890, Mr. A. Anderson, an American artist residing in Paris, conceived the idea of establishing an American students Association in Paris. Mr. Wuerpel was connected with this institution from the beginning and was successively Treasurer, Secretary, Vice-President and acting President of the Association.He was selected by Professor Halsey Ives to fill the position of secretary to the Paris Advisory Board of the Department of Fine Arts of the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893. While accompanying Mr. Ives on many of his expeditions, he did much writing, contributing to magazines and newspapers on a variety of subjects. While abroad, he became acquainted with artist James McNeil Whistler. The two became friends and Whistler greatly influenced Wuerpel in his work as a painter and teacher. After his connection with the World's Fair ceased, he was induced by Professor Ives to accept the position of instructor of the "Life Classes" of the St. Louis School of Fine Arts. He was president of the St. Louis Association of Painters and Sculptors, treasurer of the St. Louis Art Students' Association and delegate to and chairman of the St. Louis branch of the Society of Western Artists.
Artist and art instructor. Born in St. Louis, Wuerpel's earliest studies were pursued under the guidance of his eldest sister on his father's ranch in Mexico. later he attended a Spanish school in Mexico and became a pupil at Toensfeldt's Educational Institute in St. Louis. He then took classes at Washington University and graduated with the highest honors. He then entered the undergraduate department of Washington University with the intention of fitting himself for a Civil Engineer but was compelled to give up his studies in his sophomore year due to ill health.After an interval of some years, he entered the St. Louis School of Fine Arts and from there went abroad and studied at the Julian Academy and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He also studied independently in the galleries of France, England, Germany, Holland, Belgium and Spain. In 1890, Mr. A. Anderson, an American artist residing in Paris, conceived the idea of establishing an American students Association in Paris. Mr. Wuerpel was connected with this institution from the beginning and was successively Treasurer, Secretary, Vice-President and acting President of the Association.He was selected by Professor Halsey Ives to fill the position of secretary to the Paris Advisory Board of the Department of Fine Arts of the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893. While accompanying Mr. Ives on many of his expeditions, he did much writing, contributing to magazines and newspapers on a variety of subjects. While abroad, he became acquainted with artist James McNeil Whistler. The two became friends and Whistler greatly influenced Wuerpel in his work as a painter and teacher. After his connection with the World's Fair ceased, he was induced by Professor Ives to accept the position of instructor of the "Life Classes" of the St. Louis School of Fine Arts. He was president of the St. Louis Association of Painters and Sculptors, treasurer of the St. Louis Art Students' Association and delegate to and chairman of the St. Louis branch of the Society of Western Artists.
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