Original Oil Painting “Autumn in Pojoaque” [SOLD]

Carl Von Hassler, who moved to Albuquerque in the early 1920s, was known as the "Dean of the Albuquerque Art Colony." Born in Bremen, Germany, Von Hassler attended the Dusseldorf Art Academy. When he came to the United States, he lived for a while in Greenwich Village in New York and was a member of the famed painters who called themselves the "Greenwich Ash Can Group."

For a time after moving to Albuquerque, Von Hassler was given room and board at the downtown Franciscan Hotel. He was encouraged to paint at the hotel to lure tourist into staying there. He later established his studio in Albuquerque's Old Town. For 47 years, he painted New Mexico scenes and became an Albuquerque legend. Almost everyone living in Albuquerque in the 1940s through the 1960s knew him and had a story they could relate about him. He was known as a very dapper person and seems to have been loved by everyone who knew him in Albuquerque.

This painting is very representative of Von Hassler's northern New Mexico landscapes, with cottonwood trees and an adobe building. Pojoaque, the location for the painting, is just about 20 minutes north of Santa Fe.

Von Hassler placed a very large old cottonwood tree in the foreground right corner of the painting and made it a major part of the painting as if it was the most important element. The wonderful old adobe building sits nestled in the background, giving way to the majesty of the cottonwood tree. Von Hassler was very astute in siting his paintings to achieve the effect he was seeking.

Von Hassler realized that New Mexico landscapes in autumn are lacking in color—generally leaves are brown, adobe is brown, land is brown, and the hillsides are dark. He overcame the boredom that could have occurred by siting his location properly and adding a splash of color—in this case a red roof.

This is an exceptionally fine smaller piece of his. It is signed in lower left, and dated 1930 on verso. The painting has been re-framed in a gold leaf handmade frame from Tres Mowka Designs of Santa Fe. The painting is in original excellent condition.