Jules Dahlager (1884-1952) Autumn, S.E. Alaska 16" x 20" Oil on Canvasboard The Jules Dahlager Website Back to Artists Wanted List

Jules Dahlager was born in Brookings in Dakota Territory. He apparently had very little formal art training and worked primarily as a printer and journalist. He first went to Alaska in 1921, working for the Cordova Times. It is said that when he met Eustace Ziegler in Cordova and explained his difficulty with brushes, Ziegler suggested that he try palette knife, and that Dahlager never used brushes again. True or not, Dahlager's paintings are distinctive, with a jewel-like quality.

In 1929, Dahlager and his family moved to Ketchikan, where he worked for the Ketchickan Chronicle and where he lived the rest of his life. We see a prepondernace of Cordova paintings from 1921 to 1929 and Ketchikan paintings thereafter. All paintings are simply signed "Jules", almost always at an angle, generally in red. If in fine condition, a signed and typed title label is secured to the back. Braarud Fine Art is looking for examples of Dahlager paintings depicting all subjects.