Carl John David Nordell (1885-1957)

Carl Johan David Nordell was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and came to the United States as a boy. He studied painting with Edmund C. Tarbell at the School of Painting of the Museum of Fine Arts. He won the prestigious Paige Traveling Fellowship in 1909 and went to Paris, attending classes at the Académie Julian.  He returned to Boston and established a studio at the Fenway Studio building where he worked painting figurative works, landscapes, portraits and still life.   In December of 1912 he launched his career with a show of portraits and nudes at the Copley Gallery on Newbury Street.  He also married Boston landscape artist and watercolorist Emma Alice (Polly) Parker.

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Nordell received many commissions for portraits of leading officials and college presidents.  He remained in Boston until 1928 at which point he moved to New York City (1928 – 1932) and Westfield, New York (1941 – 1947) before settling in San Fernando, California with his second wife in 1951. 

Nordell was a member of the North Shore Art Association, the Boston Art Club, the Boston Water Color Club and the Salmagundi Club.  He was a frequent exhibitor at the important national venues such as, the National Academy of Design from 1916 until 1941, the Corcoran Gallery biennials from 1912 until 1926, and the annual exhibitions at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1909 until 1928.  His work was also featured at the Boston Art Club and the North Shore Art Association.