A painter and wood carver whose hand-carved frames exemplified the style of his era, Art Nouveau, Reginald Machell spent the first part of his career in England and lived in southern California from 1900 until his death in 1927.

Machell was born in Crackenthorpe, England and studied at Uppingham and Owens College. In 1875, he went to London to start his art education and the next year went to Paris to enroll in the Academie Julian. He was in Paris for four years and in 1880 returned to London, where he became an established portrait painter.

He exhibited his work at the Royal Academy and in 1893 was elected to membership in the Royal Society of British Artists.

Reginald Machell emigrated to America in 1900 with artist Charles Ryan and settled in San Diego. There he earned a reputation for his skill in architectural decoration, carved furniture, frames and screens. He fashioned his Art Nouveau frames to go with the flowing lines of his paintings, which reflected the mysticism and symbolism of the Theosophical Society of which he was a member.

His work is in the Theosophy Headquarters in Pasadena as well as the San Diego Historical Society.

Source:
Edan Hughes, Artists in California, 1786-1940