Hugo Wilhelm "Arthur" Nahl (1833-1889): Founder of San Francisco Olympic Club; Notable Artist

Artists William Keith (l) and Arthur Nahl (r)

Plot 11, Lot 203

 

Hugo Wilhelm Arthur Nahl (known as Arthur), was one of those rare figures who managed to leave his mark in two seemingly unrelated fields—art and athletics. Born in Kassel, Germany, into a family of artists, Nahl carried his European training across continents before becoming both a celebrated painter and a co-founder of San Francisco’s legendary Olympic Club, the oldest athletic club in the United States.

 

Among its early members were prominent San Franciscans: James G. Fair, John Mackay, Charles Crocker, Leland Stanford and Mark Twain.  

 

Nahl Backyard. Original Olympic Club Photo: by George Robinson Fardon, courtesy San Francisco History Center

Arthur Nahl studied art at the Kassel Academy alongside his half-brother Charles. Like many young German artists of the mid-19th century, they sought broader opportunities abroad. In 1846, the brothers moved to Paris, where they studied under Paul Delaroche and Horace Vernet, prominent figures in French academic painting. But political turmoil—the 1848 French Revolution—disrupted their studies and forced them to relocate to New York. By 1851, they had sailed for California, lured by the promise of the Gold Rush.

The Nahls tried their hand at gold mining, working briefly in the Sierra foothills, but soon returned to their true calling: art. They opened a studio in Sacramento, only to lose it in the devastating fire of 1852. Undeterred, they resettled in San Francisco, where Arthur established himself as a portrait painter, engraver, illustrator, and daguerreotypist. His commercial work was widely recognized, including a significant role in re-designing the California state seal. His paintings and engravings captured frontier life, California landscapes, and dramatic scenes that spoke to the energy of the young state.

Ducks by Arthur Nahl

While art remained his livelihood, Arthur Nahl also cultivated another passion: physical fitness. By 1855, he and Charles had turned the backyard of their San Francisco home into a makeshift gymnasium, complete with bars, ropes, and other apparatus. Neighbors and friends joined in, and the gatherings grew into a kind of informal athletic society. The enthusiasm was infectious, and in 1860 the brothers helped formally establish what became The Olympic Club.

What began as exercises in a backyard grew into the oldest athletic club in America, an institution that promoted health, discipline, and camaraderie in the rough-and-tumble days of Gold Rush San Francisco. Nahl’s legacy in this sphere is as enduring as his art, reflecting a lifelong belief in the balance of mind and body.

Nahl lithograph of early San Francisco

As an artist, Arthur Nahl became known for his depictions of pioneer California. His canvases included historical events, allegorical scenes, and romanticized images of the West. He contributed illustrations to magazines and books, helping shape how distant readers imagined California. His work is frequently cited alongside that his elder half-brother Charles Christian Nahl (who sometimes received more recognition, though Arthur’s contributions were equally vital).

Arthur’s paintings combined technical training from Europe with the raw subject matter of the American frontier. In addition to portraiture, he was sought after for engravings and commercial commissions. His versatility kept him at the center of San Francisco’s art world, and his family became synonymous with the city’s early cultural life.

Arthur Nahl died on April 1, 1889 while on a ferry in San Francisco Bay, en route to Alameda. 

Sources: US and German Wikipedia, WikiMedia Commons, San Francisco Call, The Olympic Club, Daily Alta California, Find a Grave