Alexander Mueller (1872–1935) was an American painter and art educator recognized for his contributions to landscape and portrait painting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work captured the serene vistas of Wisconsin and California, as well as European scenes from his earlier travels, while his skillful portraits demonstrated his versatility as an artist.

Mueller was born on February 29, 1872, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to a family of German heritage; his father emigrated from Germany, while his mother, a Milwaukee native, was the daughter of German immigrants.

Among Mueller’s extended relatives were the noted Wisconsin photographer Hugo Broich (1822-1905) and his nephew, Ludwig Alexander von Cotzhausen (1827–1899). Von Cotzhausen was a prominent businessman and executive at the Valentin Blatz Brewing Company, as well as a public servant who held positions on the Milwaukee City Council and in the Wisconsin State Assembly during the 1858 legislative session. Through their professional and civic contributions, Mueller’s family played a meaningful role in shaping the cultural and artistic fabric of the region.

Alexander Mueller began his artistic education under prominent Wisconsin artist Richard Lorenz (1858-1915) at the Wisconsin School of Design in Milwaukee. While studying with Lorenz, Mueller worked as a lithographer, engraver, and draftsman. Mueller furthered his studies in Europe from 1894 to 1896, training under Max Thedy (1858-1924) in Weimar, Germany. From 1896 to 1899, he studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Munich under the academic romanticist Carl von Marr (1858–1936).

Following his return to Milwaukee in 1899, Alexander Mueller emerged as a key figure in the city's artistic and cultural development. In 1900, he co-founded the Society of Milwaukee Artists—an organization that would later become known as The Wisconsin Painters & Sculptors—and was appointed director of the Milwaukee Art Students League. Under his guidance, the League’s instructional program was reorganized and expanded into the Wisconsin School of Art, which was subsequently incorporated into the State Normal School. This institution would evolve into the Milwaukee State Teacher’s College and, ultimately, the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Among Mueller’s distinguished pupils was Edward Steichen (1879-1973), who would go on to achieve international acclaim as a photographer and curator.

From 1890 to 1911, Mueller maintained a studio in the University Building at 111 Mason Street in Milwaukee, during which time he remained actively engaged with the city’s burgeoning arts community. In 1912, he married fellow Milwaukee artist Martha Kaross (1881-1957), who served on the faculty of the Wisconsin School of Art. The couple had two children and shared a mutual dedication to arts education. In 1918, Mueller was appointed to the Milwaukee Art Commission, an advisory body tasked with evaluating and recommending public art projects to the city’s mayor. By 1922, however, Mueller had grown increasingly dissatisfied with the administrative direction of the State Normal School and chose to resign his post. He subsequently relocated with his family to the countryside outside Munich, where he spent the next five years focused on painting and artistic development, largely removed from institutional responsibilities.

In 1928, Mueller briefly returned to Milwaukee, where he exhibited a collection of his works titled Paintings by Alexander Mueller at the Milwaukee Art Institute. Although well-received, he sought a more temperate climate and decided to relocate with his family to San Marino, California, later that same year. His decision was driven in part by his desire for a warmer environment, which he believed would better support his artistic pursuits.

While living in Southern California, Alexander Mueller was involved in key art organizations that contributed to the region’s artistic development. Notably, he was a member of the California Art Club, a prominent institution that significantly influenced the arts culture in Southern California, he was also associated with the Pasadena Art Institute, which supported artistic expression in the region during the early 20th century. Through his participation in these organizations, Mueller engaged in local exhibitions and contributed to the growth of the regional art scene. He remained in San Marino for the rest of his life, continuing to paint and exhibit his works until his death in 1935.

Alexander Mueller’s works are represented in the public collections of the Milwaukee Art Museum, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the Museum of Wisconsin Art.

Biography provided by American Legacy Fine Arts, Pasadena, California

Sources: Artists of California by Edan Hughes, Wisconsin Local History and Biography Articles, and Find a Grave