Carl von Hassler

Carl von Hassler Description

Carl von Hassler (1887-1969) grew up in Germany and was drawn to the United States after seeing a performance of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. The young artist settled in Albuquerque in 1922, and traveled around the region studying the diverse native cultures and wildlife.

Von Hassler's career flourished in the Land of Enchantment, and he became well-known for his ability to capture the area's dramatic seasonal changes with a gentle, tightly controlled palette.

"Nature is a great teacher," he told a reporter in 1961. "To be a truly good artist, one has to be first a naturalist. Each area presents its own background and feeling. Unless you get the feel of a place, your painting will lack strength and beauty."

By the 1940s, von Hassler was a teacher to many emerging artists in the area. They referred to him as The Dean of Albuquerque Artists. A large mural commission by the artist is still on display at the Albuquerque Sunport.

The oil painting in our collection shows the San Francisco de Asis Mission Church in Taos, made famous by Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams.