Carl Redin (1892-1944) stands as a fascinating figure in the annals of early 20th-century art, a Swedish-born painter who found his most profound inspiration under the vast, luminous skies of the American Southwest. His journey from the maritime landscapes of Scandinavia to the sun-drenched deserts of New Mexico and Arizona forged an artistic identity characterized by vibrant color, expressive brushwork, and a deep, almost spiritual connection to the land. Though his career was relatively short, cut tragically brief by illness, Redin left behind an oeuvre that continues to resonate with collectors and art enthusiasts, securing his place among the significant interpreters of the Southwestern panorama.
Early Life and Nordic Influences
Born in Sweden in 1892, Carl Redin's early artistic inclinations were likely shaped by the distinct natural beauty and cultural currents of his homeland. Before fully dedicating himself to art, Redin served in the Swedish Navy. This period undoubtedly provided him with a wealth of visual experiences, particularly concerning the dynamic interplay of light on water and the rugged coastal topographies. It is noted that his early artistic endeavors, active from around 1901, included a focus on marine themes, a logical extension of his naval service. This foundational experience with capturing the essence of expansive natural environments and the subtleties of atmospheric conditions would later prove invaluable when he confronted the entirely different, yet equally compelling, landscapes of the American desert.
The artistic climate in Sweden during Redin's formative years was rich and varied. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of National Romanticism, where artists sought to express a unique Swedish identity through depictions of its landscapes and folklore. Simultaneously, influences from French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism were making their way north, encouraging artists to experiment with light, color, and more subjective interpretations of reality. While specific details of Redin's formal art education in Sweden are not extensively documented in the provided materials, it is reasonable to assume he was exposed to these prevailing trends, which would have informed his technical skills and aesthetic sensibilities.
The Journey to a New World: Health and a New Horizon
A pivotal, albeit challenging, chapter in Redin's life was his struggle with tuberculosis. This serious respiratory illness was a significant concern in the early 20th century, and a common medical recommendation was relocation to a drier, sunnier climate. This health imperative led Redin, like many others at the time, to seek refuge in the American Southwest. He initially spent time in Chicago, a burgeoning artistic center in its own right. However, the climate there was not conducive to his recovery.
The allure of New Mexico, with its high desert air and abundant sunshine, proved irresistible. In 1927, Redin made the significant move, initially to the artistic hub of Santa Fe, before eventually settling in Albuquerque. This relocation was not merely a geographical shift but a profound artistic reawakening. The stark, dramatic beauty of the New Mexican landscape – its vast mesas, deep canyons, and unique quality of light – offered a completely new visual vocabulary that would come to define his mature work. He established a studio in Albuquerque, which became his base for exploring and painting the surrounding region.
Capturing the Southwest: New Mexico's Enduring Spell
New Mexico in the 1920s and 1930s was a magnet for artists. The ancient cultures, the dramatic geology, and the unparalleled clarity of light drew painters, writers, and intellectuals from across the United States and Europe. Figures like Robert Henri and John Sloan, influential teachers from the Ashcan School, encouraged their students to explore the American West. Artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe were already making their mark, finding inspiration in the abstract forms and spiritual resonance of the landscape. The Taos Society of Artists, including painters like Ernest L. Blumenschein and Bert Geer Phillips, had established a significant artistic colony further north, focusing on both landscape and depictions of Native American life.
Redin, while perhaps not directly part of the Taos or Santa Fe inner circles in the same way as some long-established figures, quickly found his niche. His European training, combined with a fresh, immigrant perspective, allowed him to see the Southwestern landscape with unique eyes. He was particularly drawn to the raw, elemental power of the land.
One of his most celebrated works from this period is Red Earth. This painting, depicting the magnificent scenery of New Mexico's Jemez Canyon, garnered considerable attention. The Jemez region, with its striking red rock formations, volcanic tuff, and Ponderosa pine forests, provided ample inspiration. Redin's interpretation in Red Earth was so compelling that it caught the eye of Swedish royalty. The Crown Prince of Sweden was reportedly so impressed that he ordered several of Redin's works, which subsequently found a prestigious home in the collections of the National Gallery in Stockholm. This royal patronage was a significant endorsement of Redin's talent and helped to elevate his international profile.
Another notable work, Enchanted Mesa (also known as Mesa Encantada), further exemplifies his approach. This massive sandstone butte, steeped in Acoma Pueblo legend, rises dramatically from the desert floor. Redin's painting of this iconic landmark is described as featuring layers of colorful clouds, towering ridges, and a characteristic Southwestern palette of low blue mountains contrasting with green and brown desert terrain. His style often involved strong, decisive brushstrokes and a rich application of paint, conveying not just the visual appearance of the landscape but also its tactile qualities and the artist's emotional response to it.
Arizona Adventures: The Superstition Mountains and Beyond
Redin's artistic explorations were not confined to New Mexico. He also spent considerable time in neighboring Arizona, where he found new subjects to capture his imagination. He is particularly noted for his depictions of the Superstition Mountains, a rugged and mysterious range east of Phoenix. These mountains, rich in folklore and tales of lost gold mines, possess a dramatic, almost theatrical quality that appealed to Redin's sensibilities. He painted Superstition Mountain multiple times, exploring its changing moods and light conditions.
His Arizona oeuvre also included scenes along the historic Apache Trail, a scenic route that winds through canyons and past desert lakes. He painted Fish Creek Canyon, a dramatic gorge along this trail, and the impressive Roosevelt Dam (referred to as Rosano Dam in one source, but almost certainly the Theodore Roosevelt Dam), a significant engineering marvel of its time that created Roosevelt Lake. These subjects demonstrate Redin's interest in both the untouched wilderness and the ways in which human endeavor interacted with the grand scale of the Western landscape. He also created paintings of the Tonto National Monument, with its well-preserved Salado cliff dwellings, and a site referred to as the "Durham Dam," which may have been a local name for a smaller structure or perhaps the Coolidge Dam, another significant Arizona water project of that era.
Artistic Style: A Fusion of Realism and Expressive Color
Carl Redin's artistic style can be characterized as a blend of representational accuracy with a heightened, expressive use of color and texture. While his works clearly depict recognizable landscapes, they are far from photographic reproductions. Instead, he imbued his scenes with a palpable sense of atmosphere and personal feeling. His background in marine painting likely honed his skills in capturing the ephemeral qualities of light and weather, which he adeptly translated to the desert environment.
His brushwork is often described as thick and impastoed, giving his canvases a tactile surface quality. This technique, combined with a bold and often non-naturalistic color palette, aligns him with Post-Impressionist tendencies, where emotional expression and subjective interpretation take precedence over strict adherence to visual reality. Artists like Vincent van Gogh or the Fauvists, with their emphasis on color as an independent expressive element, might be seen as distant stylistic relatives, though Redin's work remained more grounded in the observable world.
He demonstrated a keen sensitivity to the unique light of the Southwest – a light that can be both harsh and incredibly subtle, capable of transforming colors and forms dramatically throughout the day. His paintings often convey a strong sense of place, capturing the vastness, the solitude, and the intense beauty of the desert landscapes he chose as his subjects. He was not merely documenting scenery; he was interpreting its spirit.
Academic Role and Recognition
Beyond his prolific output as a painter, Carl Redin also contributed to the artistic community as an educator. From 1929 to 1930, he served as a teacher in the art department at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. This role would have allowed him to share his knowledge and passion with a new generation of artists, further embedding him within the regional art scene. Teaching often provides artists with new perspectives on their own work, and his time at the university likely enriched his practice.
His artistic achievements received significant formal recognition. In 1933, Redin was awarded a prestigious Gold Medal by the Art Institute of Chicago. This was a notable honor, as the Art Institute was, and remains, one of the foremost art institutions in the United States. Such an award from a major metropolitan art center would have significantly boosted his reputation nationally, acknowledging the quality and originality of his Southwestern landscapes. This accolade, coupled with the patronage from the Swedish Crown Prince, underscores the broad appeal and critical acclaim his work garnered during his lifetime.
Contemporaries in the Southwestern Art Milieu
Carl Redin worked during a vibrant period for art in the American Southwest. While the provided information doesn't detail specific close friendships or direct collaborations, he was undoubtedly aware of, and part of, a larger community of artists drawn to the region. Some of the notable figures active during or around his time in the Southwest include:
Nicolai Fechin: A Russian émigré known for his dynamic portraits and vibrant depictions of Native American life, primarily based in Taos. His expressive brushwork and rich color might have found resonance with Redin.
Leon Gaspard: Another artist of Russian origin who settled in Taos, Gaspard was celebrated for his colorful and impressionistic scenes of local life and exotic travels.
Ward Lockwood: An artist and educator associated with Taos and later with the University of Texas, known for his modernist interpretations of the landscape.
Catherine Critcher: One of the few women to become a member of the Taos Society of Artists, known for her sensitive portraits of Native Americans.
Sheldon Parsons: A Santa Fe artist known for his impressionistic landscapes, particularly his atmospheric depictions of aspen trees and adobe architecture. He served as the first curator of the New Mexico Museum of Art.
Doel Reed: An artist known for his aquatints and paintings of the Southwestern landscape, often with a focus on its stark, architectural forms. He was also an influential educator.
Dorothy Brett: A British aristocrat and painter who became part of the D.H. Lawrence circle in Taos, known for her stylized depictions of Pueblo Indian ceremonials.
Carl Von Hassler: An artist who, like Redin, settled in Albuquerque and became known for his colorful and detailed landscapes of New Mexico.
Emil Bisttram: A Taos artist interested in dynamic symmetry and spiritual themes, a co-founder of the Transcendental Painting Group.
Albert Schmidt: A Santa Fe artist known for his landscapes that captured the light and color of the region.
Randall Davey: A prominent Santa Fe artist, known for his portraits, horse racing scenes, and still lifes, influenced by Robert Henri.
Woodsy Roche (often mentioned with Carl Roche): Part of the Santa Fe art scene.
Agnes Simons: Another artist contributing to the rich tapestry of the Southwestern art world.
Laverne Nelson Black: Known for his depictions of Native American life and Western scenes, active in Taos.
This constellation of artists, each with their unique style and focus, contributed to the dynamic and evolving art scene of the Southwest. Redin's work, with its particular blend of European sensibility and American subject matter, added a distinct voice to this chorus.
Legacy and Art Historical Evaluation
Carl Redin passed away in 1944, at the relatively young age of 52. His active period of art creation, particularly his most impactful Southwestern work, spanned roughly from his arrival in New Mexico in 1927 until his death. Despite this comparatively short window, his contribution to the art of the American Southwest is significant. He was one of a pioneering group of artists who helped to define the visual identity of the region for a wider audience.
His paintings are valued for their vibrant energy, their honest portrayal of the landscape, and their ability to convey the profound emotional impact these environments had on the artist. He successfully translated the unique atmospheric conditions and geological wonders of New Mexico and Arizona into a compelling body of work that bridged European artistic traditions with a distinctly American subject. The fact that his works were sought after by international collectors, including Swedish royalty, and recognized by major American art institutions speaks to their quality and appeal.
Today, Carl Redin's paintings are held in private and public collections, and they continue to be appreciated for their artistic merit and historical importance. He remains a key figure for understanding the development of landscape painting in the American Southwest during the early to mid-20th century. His ability to capture the grandeur and subtle beauty of the desert, filtered through his unique artistic vision, ensures his enduring legacy. While information on his performance in the contemporary auction market is not readily available in the provided texts, the continued interest in historical Southwestern art suggests that his works would be well-regarded by collectors specializing in this genre.
Carl Redin's story is one of adaptation, resilience, and profound artistic connection. From the shores of Sweden to the arid expanses of the American desert, he forged a path that allowed him to create a vibrant and lasting tribute to the landscapes that captured his heart and eye. His paintings serve as a vivid reminder of the transformative power of place and the enduring allure of the American Southwest for artists seeking inspiration in its unique light and land.
