Edward William Carlson

Edward William Carlson (May 4, 1883 – July 26, 1932) was an American miniature portraitist. His parents were Swedish immigrants Minnie and John. Carlson spent most of his childhood in Chicago, Illinois where his parents owned and operated the Englewood Home Laundry.[8][9]

At four years of age circa 1887 Carlson fell ill with scarlet fever, and as a result, lost both his hearing and eventually his speech.[10][11]

Carlson was one of eight siblings though two died young. His remaining brothers and sisters, of whom he was the oldest, were Enoch, Amanda, Esther, Arvid and John.

Circa 1900 the Carlson family moved near Grovertown, Indiana where they bought or leased a farm near those of his mother's brothers. At this time Edward Carlson's occupation is a farmhand.[12] He was seventeen years old.

Portrait of Boy in Uniform by Edward William Carlson

As an adolescent Carlson showed an aptitude for painting. Later, after working on the family farm in Indiana, he returned to Chicago and attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.[10][13][lower-alpha 1]

Also attending the Art Institute was Eva Randolph Dorchester (August 28, 1880 – October 14, 1926) of Sherman, Texas who was deaf-mute since birth. Eva had been born in Kentucky. Her father, C. B. Dorchester, was a banker.[15] Before attending the Art Institute (1898-1901) Eva had been a student at the Austin Ward 11, Texas School for the Deaf in Travis, Texas, from 1888 to 1900.[15][16] Carlson and Eva met at the Art Institute and their relationship grew.

Between 1907 and 1910 Carlson boarded at various residences in Chicago, probably while attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.[17] By 1910 he was living with his uncle August Holmquist, his aunt Hanna, and his young cousins Alma, Ebba, Alice and Violet at their home on 2700, West 23rd Street, Chicago.[18]

Eva graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago on June 23, 1911, having taken the three year course in drawing, painting and sculpture.[19] That same year, after visiting Edward's family in Indiana, Edward and Eva were married on Wednesday, October 4, 1911, in Hopkins, Texas.[20][21] Afterward they returned to Chicago.[22]

At an exhibit at the Swedish Club of Chicago in 1912 Edward won the prize for miniature painting.[23]

On December 3, 1913 Eva gave birth to their daughter, Marjorie Nellie.[24]

Swedish Club of Chicago

In 1915 Carlson again exhibited some of his portraits at the Swedish Club of Chicago. "Among the miniature portraits there are six by Edward Carlson of Chicago, which are the pride of the exhibit."[25]

An accomplished miniature portraitist,[26] Edward's work appeared often at the Art Institute of Chicago, and in other venues. In 1920 a number of his portraits were included in an exhibition of one hundred pieces by forty artists, which traveled first to New York and then to the cities of Stockholm, Göteborg (Gothenburg) and Malmö, Sweden. The art critic Elisabeth Luther Cary, the first full-time art critic for the New York Times, wrote, "The small group of miniatures by Ed. W. Carlson sets a neat period [to the end] of the exhibition. They are careful and expert in execution and show unremitting interest in essential character [of his subjects] which is the best gift Sweden has sent to the art of America."[27]

On October 14, 1926, at 46 years of age, Eva died of stomach cancer in her mother's home in Texas.[28][29] Marjorie was twelve years old.

Signature of Edward William Carlson

In July of the following year, Edward and Marjorie took the train to the National Fraternal Society for the Deaf (NFSD) convention, attended by about 800 people, in Denver, Colorado. After the convention Edward and Marjorie headed west. "Ed. W. Carlson and 13-year-old daughter, Majorie, left Denver for Spokane, Portland, California and Texas points a two months' trip. It was very touching to see the tender care with which Carlson consoled his little girl [whose] mother died in Texas...."[30]

In 1929 Carlson was awarded first prize in the miniature category from the Swedish Club of Chicago.[31][32]

By 1930 Edward and Marjorie were boarders with the Hooper family, who were originally from Texas, at 7143 Evans Avenue, Chicago.[33]

Edward died five years after the death of Eva, on Tuesday, July 26, 1932, after a long struggle with asthma, at his sister's home in Chikaming, Berrien, Michigan, USA.[34][35] He was forty-nine years of age. Marjorie was now eighteen years old.

Carlson was a founding member of the Chicago Society of Miniature Painters, a member of the Society of Western Artists, and the Chicago Society of Artists.[36] [lower-alpha 2][37]

Paintings by Edward William Carlson include:[38][39][40][41][42][43][44]