early life and formative years charles paul gruppe, a renowned painter, was born on september 3, 1860, in picton, canada west. his life's journey took him to rochester at the age of three, where he began his artistic endeavors. self-taught, gruppe co-founded the rochester art club in 1872, at just twelve years old. artistic style and influences gruppe's work is characterized by its unique blend of canadian and american influences, reflecting his life's journey between both countries. his style, often described as a mix of realism and impressionism, has been compared to the dutch masters, give…