Book Reviews

Swedish American Genealogist Volume 33 | Number 3 Article 16 9-1-2013 Book Reviews Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag Part of the Genealogy Commons, and the Scandinavian Studies Commons Recommended Citation (2013) "Book Reviews," Swedish American Genealogist: Vol. 33 : No. 3 , Article 16. Available at: https://digitalcommons.augustana.edu/swensonsag/vol33/iss3/16 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Augustana Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Swedish American Genealogist by an authorized editor of Augustana Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Book Reviews Here you will find information about interesting books on the immigration experience, genealogical manuals, books on Swedish customs, and much more. We welcome contacts with SAG readers, suggestions on books to review perhaps. If you want to review a book yourself, please contact the SAG Editor, at <[email protected]> so we know what you are working on. for Stockholm where he found work SAG Book Review editor retires as a ship painter, then sailed to France and then to England seeking SAG Book Review editor Dennis L. work. He found a little work as a Johnson of Pottstown, PA, has since scene painter in theaters and in 1901 2004 written 90 lengthy, detailed, he earned his passage to the U.S. by and interesting book reviews of decorating a Norwegian sea captain's books on Swedish or Swedish- cabin. He worked on the East Coast American themes. as an itinerant artist for two years, For this big effort we are all very then signed on a ship as seaman to grateful. get to California. There he found Now Dennis has resigned from work decorating buildings and doing being the regular Book Review other odd jobs. He began associating editor, but will still write occasional with other artists in Los Angeles and reviews when he feels like it. And I started exhibiting his own easel hope he will feel like it often. paintings by 1905. I must also mention that Dennis Through his circle of artists, Borg is my 5th half-cousin, we share a became acquainted with Charles klockare, Anders Persson (1762— Lummis, founder of the Southwest 1834) in Gestad (Dais.), who was Dennis L. Johnson, 2009. (Photo by E. Museum, and leader of a group of Thorsell). married twice. Elisabeth Thorsell Southern California art patrons and enthusiasts. They took Borg under their wing and helped him sell his Lily Elmberg gave Ms. Laird the paintings and sponsored trips to Eu- A famous autobiography in Swedish written by rope and North Africa, later South Borg covering the years 1879-1908, America, to sketch and to observe. By Swedish artist as well as her own summary of the 1917 he began traveling to the des- years 1908-1947. She was also given ert southwest to document the van- Borg's poems, letters, notebooks, and Carl Oscar Borg and the Magic ishing life of the Southwest Indians. essays, which she used heavily as a As he became better known, he Region, by Helen Laird, 1986, nucleus for her own further research. Gibbs B. Smith, Inc. Peregrine became more in demand and was Smith Books, Layton, Utah, 248 Born in a soldier's hut named able to maintain a more steady pages, Hardcover, Illustrated, Ostebyn bstre in the parish of Grin- income. By 1918, he married a much Amazon.com, $41.33 plus ship- stad, (Dais.), Borg was the oldest of younger woman, Madeline Carriel, ping. six children born to his father, Gus- and built a home and studio in Santa taf Eriksson Borg, and his mother, Barbara. His paintings became cele- Swedish American artist Carl Oscar Kristina Olsdotter. His father had brated nationally and he maintained Borg was born into poverty in Swe- irregular work and pay, and the contact with his friends and patrons den in 1879 and rose to become one family had little means. Carl Oscar in Los Angeles. He had become fa- of the best-known artists of the began sketching at an early age but mous but had little money. His wife American Southwest. His life has as in most poor households was soon was unhappy in Santa Barbara and been recorded in this biography hired out to work for other neighbors. they finally moved back to Los An- written by Helen Laird and pub- When he was fifteen he was appren- geles in 1924 where he had more op- lished in 1986. The author was asked ticed to a painter who did decorative portunities to earn money by selling to write this book by Borg's widow, painting found in traditional Swed- paintings and teaching. Lily Borg Elmberg, before she died. ish houses. He left home at twenty Borg and his wife settled in Holly- 24 Swedish American Genealogist 2013:3 Book Reviews acclaim for The Black Pirate, and icana, and even paintings. went on to design sets for over a half Despite being hailed in the Swed- dozen more films, as art director ish press on his return as "The Great supervising the work of many others. Indian Painter," Borg remained rest- By 1930, however, times had changed less. He revisited old haunts, paint- and new technologies had made the ed his father, now old and frail, role of art director obsolete. Silent sketched his home and childhood films had seen their day, and filming scenes, visited bookshops and muse- wood, where old friends were abun- had moved to outdoor locations ums, and wrote private poems ex- dant and galleries were close at hand where painted backdrops and scenes pressing his moods of nostalgia and to show his paintings. His life took were no longer needed. despair. By December 1934 he re- an unexpected turn when one of his In the realm of painting, times had turned to Los Angeles for an exhi- students introduced him to Douglas also changed. Modern art was dis- bition of western artists, and re- Fairbanks, Jr., who was looking for placing the role of landscape painters sumed his work. He rented his old an art director for his next film, The and old masters in the galleries and studio and house in Santa Barbara, Black Pirate. This led to intensive in the public taste. In 1934, Borg and sought a divorce from his wife Made- work making sketches and blocking a dozen other Los Angeles artists for- line, and immersed himself in his out scenes for this film, America's med an organization intended to work. But by early 1936, Borg ended first full-length film in color and "stem the tide of modernism." This his western painting era with the released in 1926. Borg helped this was to be called the Academy for publication of a folio of his etchings silent film make history, made in the Western Art and had as members of the Southwest. He moved to New days when most scenes were filmed some of America's foremost western York for an exhibition of his oils in indoor studios with painted back- artists. The "Old Masters" were which met mixed reviews and, again drops and scenery. Borg shared in the fighting a losing battle, and Borg disillusioned, he returned to Sweden. joined his friends to Despite acclaim, he remained de- enter what he re- pressed until he met a woman who ferred to as his helped him believe in himself again, dark years. In 1930 a Miss Lily Lindstrand. Borg lost most of This new romance was interrupted his savings in the by the need for Borg to return to collapse of a sav- America again to finish winding up ings bank, then lost his affairs there. This return was his wife who met a extended to over a year due to several younger man. He new commissions and a period work- continued living ing on a film with Cecil B. de Mille. and working in his He continued disposing of his collec- studio and produc- tions, including gifts of paintings and ed some of his fin- other materials to the newly com- est etchings, mono- pleted American Swedish Historical types, and paint- Museum in Philadelphia. (Paintings ings, one of which on permanent display at the museum ("Summer Storm") include "On The Island of Santa won him admission Cruz" {c. 1920} and "The Hopi Corral" to the American {c. 1915}. He again headed east on the National Academy. train for New York, spent time with But by 1934, he old friends, and finally returned in had decided to re- June to Sweden to see his dying fa- turn to Sweden. He ther again. He and Lily Lindstrand was deeply depres- were married in the Swedish Church sed and began dis- in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Oc- posing of many tober 3,1938, and settled in Gb'teborg possessions, books, where they invested in an apartment collections of Amer- house. Borg became a Swedish paint- Grand Canyon, by Carl Oscar Borg. Swedish American Genealogist 2013:3 25 Book Reviews sketches and memories. He enjoyed helps the reader see not only the ac- talking to old friends and neighbors, complishments of this Swedish and occasional meetings with those American artist, but the emotional of his former associates who still struggles of Borg with his own life lived. Borg's health had declined, his and his exceptional abilities. Eight- heart was weak, and he was subject een chapters organize the book into to colds and pleurisy, but these were the successive chapters in his life and er, painting old churches, Viking productive years for his painting.

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