Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt

American, 1878-1955

Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt was a Swedish-born American modernist whose work bridged European training with American subjects. After immigrating to the United States in 1892, he studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and later at the Académie Julian in Paris. Early in his career, he worked as a printmaker and illustrator before shifting focus to painting. 

Nordfeldt became known for his expressive seascapes and his depictions of life in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lived and worked in the artist colonies from 1919 to 1937. His images of Indigenous culture, local ceremonies, and Southwestern landscapes reflect a modernist approach rooted in simplified form and bold color. He later settled in New Jersey, where coastal scenes and domestic interiors became recurring subjects. 

His work has been exhibited widely, including at the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Balancing international influence with regional subject matter, Nordfeldt’s legacy is that of a dedicated modernist whose work continues to resonate in American collections today.