He
sailed through the Golden Gate into San Francisco in 1851
Nahl was born in Germany into an artistic family.
In 1846, with his half-brother, Hugo Wilhelm Arthur Nahl, and other family members, he moved to Paris.
In May 1849, because of political unrest in Paris, the Nahl family left (with Frederick August Wenderoth), for New York City, then to California by ship in search of gold.
After a time in the Sierra foothills, they abandoned mining and returned to painting. Out of their Sacramento art studio, Charles Nahl and Wenderoth produced paintings, commercial illustrations, and portraits that miners could send home.
After the disastrous fire in Sacramento in 1852, the Nahls and Wenderoth moved to San Francisco to establish their art business. They were also interessted in gymnastics and bodybuilding, and their backyard gathering place formed the beginnings of San Francisco's Olympic Club.
Arthur Nahl's son, Perham Wilhelm Nahl (1869-1935) became a professor of art at the University of California and was a founder of the California College of Arts and Crafts.
Another son, Virgil Theodore Nahl (1876-1930), became a staff artist with the San Francisco Examiner.
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