CARL VON HASSLER "CHURCH IN WINTER" OIL ON BOARD

Carl Von Hassler (1887 - 1969) "Church in Winter" Oil on Board. Growing up in Bremen, Germany, Carl Von Hassler always knew he wanted to be an artist. Von Hassler experienced a life-altering event when he attended a performance of a 1903 Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in Bremen. That's when he first decided to go to America. Von Hassler first settled in New York in 1912 where he studied with members of the Ashcan Group. As the United States prepared to enter World War I, Von Hassler Joined the US Army in the fight against his homeland. After four years of service he was released from the US Army and, in 1922, Von Hassler moved to New Mexico. Instead of following his New York acquaintances to Santa Fe, however, he settled in the up-and-coming town of Albuquerque, he would go on to be known as the "Dean of the Albuquerque Art Colony." In his early years in the state, Von Hassler made careful study of Navajo culture, spending many days at the trading post in Manuelito, talking with residents of the area and sketching. He would eventually become proficient in the Navajo language. The Indian Pueblos of New Mexico were another favorite subject for Von Hassler, and he systematically sketched and painted each of the villages. By the 1930s he was widely known for his ability to capture the moods of the land as it changed through the seasons. He did this with a carefully controlled palette consisting of a limited range of finely modulated color. But this technique was actually based in his knowledge of the natural world. His friends and students recalled that Von Hassler was an expert on nature lore and could name almost any plant that grew in the state. Generally, the artist did his sketch on location, returning to the studio to execute the painting. He taught privately, and among his better known former pupils are Sam Smith, Ben Turner, Walter Bambrook, Novella King, and Betty Sabo. Artist: Carl Von Hassler Title: "Church in Winter" Medium: Oil on Board Signature Type: Hand Signed | Signature Location: Lower Right | Site Measurement: 14.25" x 19.5" | Ref: BD2026

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