Bror Julius Olsson (B.J.O.) Nordfeldt
(1891-1955)

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Nordfeldt was a Swedish-American artist, known for his involvement in the Taos Society of Artists. Nordfeldt was born in Tulstorg, Scania, Sweden but immigrated to the United States with his family at a very young age. As Nordfeldt grew older, he realized his interest in studying art and enrolled at the Art Institute of Chicago. At the age of twenty, he was studying and working as a printer’s assistant for a Chicago-based Swedish newspaper.

In 1900, Nordfeldt was chosen to assist muralist Albert Herter on a series of murals for the McCormick Harvester Company. The murals were part of the International Paris Exhibition. When Nordfeldt travelled to Paris to complete the murals, he was so taken with the city that he decided to stay and study under Jean Paul Laurens at the Académie Julian.

After studying in France, Nordfeldt travelled to England to learn printmaking techniques from Frank M. Fletcher in his London studio. Nordfeldt had the opportunity to exhibit his work at the Royal Academy of London before returning to the United States. He spent a few years painting in Chicago before deciding to move to New York in 1907.

Nordfeldt married and set up a studio in New York City, making occasional trips back to Chicago to exhibit. In 1914, he began his summer trips to Provincetown, New York was a founder in an innovative theater group called the Provincetown Players, serving as an actor and set designer. In Provincetown, Nordfeldt also developed a new printmaking technique known as “White-line” printing.

The start of the first World War led Nordfeldt to San Francisco, where he served as an Assistant District “Camoufleur” for the United Stated Shipping Board to develop camouflage patterns for the ships.

Nordfeldt and his wartime friend, William Penhallow Henderson, decided to explore the Southwest before returning to work. After visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico, Nordfeldt knew it was where he wanted to make his new home. Nordfeldt lived in New Mexico for twenty years, painting local subjects and Native American culture.

By 1921, Nordfeldt became a part of the thriving Taos Society of Artists, which organized group exhibitions around the country. While many of the Taos artists had solo shows in New York, Nordfeldt preferred not to ship his work across the country. To earn a livable income, Nordfeldt sold prints while he worked on a strong body of paintings.

During the 1930s, Nordfeldt began teaching at various art institutions including Minneapolis School of Art, Utah State College, and the Wichita Art Association. He also returned to the Midwest under the Works Progress Administration to create a series of lithograph prints.

Nordfeldt spent the last decade of his life moving around the country, painting and travelling with his second wife. When Nordfeldt died in 1955, his name was known in art circles across the country. Nordfeldt’s work is now in major museums and collections. Do you think you own a painting by B.J.O. Nordfeldt? Contact us. We are the experts on B.J.O. Nordfeldt.