Portrait of the Artist: Carl Lindborg

History Spotlight by Doug Humes

Photos courtesy of Newtown Square Historical Society

If you have had reason to go to the 2nd floor of the Newtown Township offices in the last few years, you would be hard-pressed to miss these two colorful paintings: Across the Line at the top of the staircase and Les Danseurs at the bottom. The Newtown Square Historical Society had these two paintings in its “attic” at the Paper Mill House, where they had languished for years. An inquiry about them led to the effort to exhibit them, and Township Manager Steve Nease found a place for them when the new Township building opened.

Les Danseurs

Why show off these paintings in Newtown Square? The paintings were done by Carl Lindborg, who, with his wife Alice, were a force for good in the township for years. Both Lindborgs were artists, educators and historians. They married in 1939 and moved to Newtown Square, buying a historic farmhouse where they lived and worked into the 1990s. Carl taught art in the Marple Newtown School District, at Eastern College and at Pennsylvania Military College (now Widener).

His paintings have been exhibited in high places such as the Whitney Museum in New York and the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, DC. In mid-life, he took up sculpture, and produced the William Penn statue at Pennsbury Manor, Revolutionary War scenes on the Fort Mercer Monument, the bust of John Hanson at Old Swedes Church in Philadelphia and the 7-foot tall statue of Governor Printz at his namesake park, the site of the Swedish settlement on the Delaware River. Carl’s bust of his wife Alice is on display at the Paper Mill House Museum.

Bust of Alice Lindborg by husband Carl

In their spare time, the Lindborgs were two of the founding members of the Newtown Square Historical Society, and the primary editors of the 1984 book The History of Newtown Township, spearheading an effort by a variety of residents and writers to research and publish a comprehensive 300-year history of Newtown Township.

The Lindborgs at their Bishop Hollow Road home, circa 1983

Alice was an accomplished pianist, a landscape artist and a full partner with her husband in their Newtown Township history work, and in the affairs of the American Swedish Historical Museum, including planning the program for Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf ’s 1976 visit to Governor Printz Park.

The next time you visit the Newtown Township building, take time to appreciate these paintings, and remember and celebrate the Lindborgs, examples of people who gave back to their community.

Across the Line, an early football scene

For more history on Newtown Square, Delaware County, and Newtown Square Historical Society (NSHS) membership information and events, please visit: www.NSHistory.org.