Maria White Keogh is a 1979 Staples High School graduate.
She read the recent “06880” story on “Man Rising” — a mammoth sculpture by Westport artist Matthias Alfen — and the reference to noted Westport sculptor James Earle Fraser, who among other works designed the buffalo nickel, the “End of the Trail” sculpture of a Native American slumped over a tired horse, and the Theodore Roosevelt statue at the Museum of Natural History.
She checked in, to make sure her grandfather, Berthold Nebel, is not forgotten.
Born in Switzerland in 1889, he came to the US with his parents when he was 1.
He was hired as Fraser’s studio assistant in Gramercy Park, New York City. Nebel moved to Westport in 1930, on the advice of Fraser, and bought a 9-acre piece of land with a farmhouse on it.
Nebel soon built an artist studio much like Fraser’s. Nebel lived and worked there with his family, until his death in 1964.
Berthold Nebel’s Westport studio.
Here, he worked on commissions that included 2 sets of bronze doors for the Museum of the Americna Indian, and the Museum of the National Geographic Society.
Among Nebel’s other works: a statue of Confederate General Joseph Wheeler for the rotunda of the US Captiol, and another of General John Sedgwick for the front of the Connecticut Capitol in Hartford.
Berthold Nebel, with his sculptures in his studio.
Six months before atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, Nebel designed a metal called “World Unity or Oblivion.”
It shows a US soldier aiding a wounded companion. The reverse side says:
An explosion intended to destroy enemy forces … also obliterates whole communities.
Modern warfare has developed to such a degree that civilization may vanished from the earth unless there is to be better understanding among nations. This metal was designed to help impressed that thought, which I believe is uppermost in our minds.
One of Nebel’s last works was called “Adventure.” It showed a man and woman on a farm horse, riding toward a new life. The renewal of the human spirit was one of his favorite themes.
“The Adventure” (Berthold Nebel)
His studio is still in the family, and much of his artwork remains. Maria’s mother Lucia — a noted artist herself — lived there until she died in 2017.
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That studio is a Westport Treasure and should be saved in perpetuity for future generations!!!
The Historic District Commission recommended landmark status for that amazing studio some years ago. As I recall, Lou was very much in favor of it but her children weren’t particularly interested. So that was that.
Not that surprising, I suppose. Unlikely that the HDC or anyone else offered to take it off their hands at Fair Market Value for preservation purposes. Unless they were otherwise independently wealthy, no particular reason to expect them to potentially discount their parents legacy. Not many people would.
Actually, it was a little bit surprising, Bill. In my experience, creative people are often particularly sensitive to matters of culture and its conservation. Naiad Einsel and Charles Reid are just two examples of well known local artists whose concern for the preservation of our historic built environment led to the landmarking of their respective residences. Having said that, the view of the property owner – whatever it may be – should always be respected. And in this case it absolutely was.
And even as importantly, let us not forget Maria’s mother, the incomparable Lou White and her photographic talents. A part of her legacy was her beautiful book of photographs with the history of her Mothers home village in Italy which has a museum where some of Nebels sculptures are displayed. Oh how we miss dear Lou!=
My mother Martha would have been 104 on 12/26/24. She was a lifelong Westporter and used to talk about an “Old Westport” classmate named Emile Nebel who was a WWII navy veteran. Any relation to the Nebel family mentioned in this posting? If so, I have a video of my mother’s wedding in July, 1942 and he was a groomsman in the wedding party in his navy uniform.
Yes, he was Berthold’s son. My mother-in-law and Lou were very close friends. I remember Lou mentioning her brother, Emile.
Looks like age related memory loss can be ruled out as a looming concern for both of us Susan 🤭 Happy Thanksgiving 😘
I also remember seeing Emile Nebel often at the Compo Yacht Basin , as the harbor was called then. His nickname was pronounced “Amy” and l liked talking with him.
My mother spoke of him being one of a bunch of kids who used to race Star class sailboats out of the basin. This was in the 30’s. I’m glad to hear he came home OK from the war. Westport lost a huge proportion of its young men in WWII.
I didn’t know any of those Nebels, but I worked for Pat Nebel at the Community Nursery School for 1 year, 1989-90. She was among the kindest and wisest educators I have ever worked with. I had just moved to Westport 2 months before, and she helped me feel at home and immediately part of a community where I have since lived and worked. Her grandson Blake was a student in my four’s room. I remember him as a bright and engaging young child. Thank you, Pat.