DUANE
Duane's take
Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm just along for the ride. Now, some houses hold furniture, maybe a few good memories. But this house on the marker — the Gould-Onderdonk House in Bexar County — this one held something rarer.
It held generations of artists, one after another, like a flame passing itself down the family line. Let me set the scene. The year is 1878.
Robert J. Onderdonk arrives in San Antonio. Born in 1852, he'd live until 1917, and in the span of those years he'd leave a mark on Texas painting that's hard to overstate.
He was a noted landscape and portrait painter, and by settling right here in San Antonio, he gave impetus — that's the marker's word, impetus — to the realistic style of painting in Texas. That's not a small thing. That's a man changing the direction of an art movement just by showing up and going to work.
Now, Robert had himself a bride — Emily Gould — and her parents, they built this house in 1882. That same year, as it happens, a son was born. Julian.
And two years later, in 1884, a daughter, Eleanor. The house that Emily's parents built became the place where those children grew up, pursued their careers, and kept open house for painters. Think about that phrase — kept open house for painters.
This wasn't just a home. It was a gathering place, a living, breathing center for the art world passing through San Antonio. Julian Onderdonk, born 1882, died 1922, became an honored painter in his own right — impressionistic landscapes his particular gift.
Eleanor, born 1884 and living all the way to 1964, carved out her own distinguished path as a well-known miniaturist and served as art curator of the Witte Museum from 1927 to 1958. That's over three decades tending the flame in an institution. And the house itself?
It survived because of Mrs. L. H.
Onderdonk, widow of a second son, who preserved it. One woman, holding the walls together, making sure the story didn't get lost. From Robert's arrival in 1878 to Eleanor's long career at the Witte, this family didn't just live in Texas art history — they built a good portion of it, room by room, canvas by canvas, right here under this roof.
What the marker says
Home of distinguished Texas artists. In 1878, Robert J. Onderdonk (1852-1917), a noted landscape and portrait painter, gave impetus to the realistic style of painting in Texas by settling in San Antonio. Parents of his bride, Emily Gould, built this house in 1882. Here the artists' children were born and pursued their careers, keeping open house for painters. His son Julian (1882-1922) was an honored painter if impressionistic landscapes. Daughter Eleanor (1884-1964) a well-known miniaturist, art curator of the Witte Museum, 1927-1958. Mrs. L. H. Onderdonk, widow of a second son, has preserved the house. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1973