Featured Image – Research at the Chicago History Museum Abakanowicz Research Center, where approximately 2,300 archival images were documented during a four-day examination of the Albert Pick Hotels collections, Topicks magazine, the unprocessed visual and related archival materials in 2026.

A New Phase of Research

The period from April 2025 through 2026 marks one of the most productive and significant phases of research into the life and work of American muralist Louis Grell (1887–1960). What began with the acquisition of an important collection of Grell sketchbooks quickly expanded into a comprehensive documentary investigation involving family archives, newspapers, institutional collections, and previously overlooked corporate records.

These discoveries have substantially broadened our understanding of Grell’s career, particularly his long association with the Albert Pick Hotels organization and the celebrated Purple Cow restaurants. They have also revealed new documentary evidence relating to Grell’s artistic practice, professional relationships, and public recognition during his lifetime.

While much of this material remains under detailed study, the discoveries summarized below represent the foundation of several major research projects now underway.

The Grell Sketchbook Collection

In April 2025, the Louis Grell Archive was expanded through the acquisition of an important group of Brudno sketchbooks containing more than 145 original sketches by Louis Grell dating primarily from the 1950s.

Many of these drawings correspond to known paintings, mural commissions, or works remaining in family and private collections. Others appear to document previously unknown compositions or alternative studies for larger projects. The sketchbooks have become one of the most valuable primary research resources presently available for studying Grell’s creative process.

Their acquisition served as the catalyst for the current phase of research.

New Newspaper Discoveries

Beginning in early 2026, continued newspaper research produced several important discoveries that had not appeared during earlier investigations.

Among the most significant was the discovery, on February 28, 2026, of a previously overlooked Flint Journal photograph documenting the well-known Doris Day “Even Trade” exchange involving Grell’s murals. This article provides an important contemporary record connecting Grell’s work with one of America’s most recognizable entertainers.

Additional discoveries include a major article by Eleanor Jewett discussing Grell’s celebrated Johnny Appleseed (1944) painting. Jewett identified the work as part of an important series and provided valuable contemporary commentary on Grell’s artistic achievement.

Numerous additional newspaper articles continue to expand the documentary record of Grell’s career.

Chicago History Museum Research

A four-day research visit to the Chicago History Museum during 2026 resulted in one of the most significant documentary discoveries made to date.

During this research visit:

• approximately 2,300 archival photographs were taken;
• nearly 200 issues of the Albert Pick Hotels corporate magazine Topicks were examined;
• extensive photographs of mural installations, hotel interiors, executives, celebrities, architectural spaces, and related documentation were recorded;
• additional visual collections, Rapp & Rapp architectural material, the unprocessed celebrity images collection and Albert Pick family records were also examined.

These collections contain an extraordinary record of the Albert Pick Hotels organization during the period in which Louis Grell produced many of its best-known mural commissions.

Albert Pick Hotels and Topicks

Perhaps the most important recent discovery has been the extraordinary documentary value of the Albert Pick Hotels corporate magazine, Topicks.

A systematic review of nearly two hundred issues has already produced:

• a photographic index documenting approximately 193 issues examined;
• a second database identifying approximately 174 photographs of murals appearing throughout the magazine;
• multiple feature articles devoted specifically to Louis Grell;
• numerous contemporary credits identifying Grell as the artist responsible for public room and Purple Cow murals;
• articles by Executive Decorator Ursula Suerth describing the design and decoration of hotel interiors;
• extensive photographic and editorial documentation of hotel public rooms.

Together, these records represent one of the most important primary documentary sources presently known for studying Grell’s work for the Albert Pick Hotels.

Expanding the Documentary Record

Recent research has also identified additional evidence concerning:

• Design, Inc. and its relationship with the Albert Pick Hotels;
• Grell’s mural commissions beyond the Pick organization;
• surviving mural fragments and related preparatory studies;
• exhibition history;
• provenance;
• architectural settings;
• corporate executives associated with Grell’s commissions;
• and the broader artistic and historical context of his career.

Many of these discoveries remain under active investigation and will be presented only after the supporting documentary evidence has been fully evaluated.

Current Research Projects

The discoveries summarized above have initiated several long-term documentary projects currently in development.

These include:

• The Louis Grell Archive Handbook, a comprehensive documentary archive of Grell’s life, career, works, and surviving primary sources;
• a scholarly monograph examining Louis Grell and the Albert Pick Hotels, with particular emphasis on the public room and Purple Cow murals;
• continued expansion of the Louis Grell Digital Archive through carefully documented research updates and primary source discoveries.

Additional publications are planned as the ongoing research progresses.

An Ongoing Investigation

Historical research is, by its nature, cumulative. Each newly discovered newspaper article, photograph, sketch, archival record, or corporate publication adds another piece to a much larger historical narrative.

The purpose of this project is not merely to preserve the memory of Louis Grell, but to assemble and document the surviving evidence of his life and career in a manner that will be useful to future scholars, museums, collectors, architectural historians, and the general public.

This page will continue to be updated as significant discoveries are made and new research is completed.

Research Philosophy

The Louis Grell Digital Archive is committed to presenting documentary evidence as accurately as possible. New discoveries are evaluated using primary sources whenever available, and interpretations are revised as additional evidence emerges. Where questions remain unresolved, they are identified as subjects for continued research rather than presented as established fact.