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CARL CHRISTIAN BRENNER
(American, 1838-1888)

Winter, 1885
Oil on canvas
Bequest of Mrs. Elizabeth M. Gray 1958.24

Born in Germany, Carl Christian Brenner immigrated to the United States in 1853, living first in New Orleans before settling in Louisville. Considered Kentucky’s greatest artist during his lifetime, Brenner was a member of a group of Louisville painters known as Tonalists, whose use of muted color evoked mood. Brenner’s subtle, skillful manipulation of tone and color is evident in the warm light that breaks through the monochromatic pattern of tree trunks in Winter.

Primarily a landscape artist, Brenner often painted stands of trees he observed in Cherokee Park or along River Road on the south bank of the Ohio River. While Brenner painted in his studio, he also painted outdoors, even in the coldest weather. He devised a portable hut with windows, which allowed him to paint outside in winter for extended periods of time.