Born in Hartford, KY in 1861, Charles Courtney Curran was the son of Ulysses Thompson Curran and his wife Elizabeth Thompson.
Curran spent his childhood in Sandusky, OH. He began his studies at the Cinncinnati School of Design, followed by the Art Students League and National Academy of Design in New York City, and subsequently at the Académie Julian in Paris.
After completing his studies, Curran taught at the Pratt Institute, Cooper Union, and National Academy.