Carl Christian Heinrich Nahl (Oct. 18, 1818 Kassel - March 1, 1878, San Francisco), later known as Charles Nahl, and sometimes Karl Nahl, Charles Christian Nahl or Charles C. Nahl, was a German-born painter who is called California's first significant artist[1].

Early years

He was the son of Georg Valentin Friedrich Nahl (1791–1857) and Henriette (Weickh) Nahl (1796–1863). His parents divorced in 1826. He came from a long line of artists and sculptors. His great-grandfather was Johann August Nahl, the German sculptor and stuccist.

Nahl was trained at the Cassel Academy.

Career

Unease over the political state of Hesse led him and his friend Frederick August Wenderoth (1819–1884) to Paris in 1846, where he enjoyed some success at the salon and changed his name to "Charles".[2] The February Revolution prompted another move with his mother and siblings, including half-brother Hugo Wilhelm Arthur Nahl (1833–1889) to Brooklyn, New York, where they heard of the gold strike. He arrived in Nevada City, California the next year, and then moved to Rough and Ready, California.[3] Here, he purchased a "salted" mine. Having no luck along the Yuba River, Nahl and Hugo opened a studio with Wenderoth in Sacramento, moving to San Francisco after the 1852 Sacramento fire. (illustrated by Arthur).

References

1.    ^ Matthew Baigell

2.    ^ Palmquist, Peter E.; Thomas R. Kailbourn (2000). Pioneer photographers of the far west: a biographical dictionary, 1840-1865. Stanford University Press. pp. 415–417. ISBN 0804738831.

3.    ^ Comstock, David A. (January 2010). "Gold Rush Art and Wood Engraving". Bulletin (Nevada City, California: Nevada County Historical Society) 29 (1): 4.

External links

§  Watercolor galery of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art

§  link collection on Artcyclopedia

§  Romans and Sabines Crocker Art Museum online

§  Charles Christian Nahl at Find a Grave