Emil James Bisttram, Untitled (Waterfall), 1963
Emil James Bisttram
1895 - 1976
Untitled (Waterfall), 1963
oil on canvas
signed and dated lower right: [artist's cipher] / BISTTRAM / 63
40 x 25 in. (101.6 x 63.5 cm.), frame: 41 1/2 x 27 x 2 1/4 in. (105.4 x 68.6 x 5.7 cm.)
Private Collection, New Mexico, ca. 1982
Private Collection, New Mexico (by descent)
Emil James Bisttram was a Hungarian-born American painter and influential teacher who helped establish modernism in Taos, New Mexico. Raised in New York, he studied at several prominent art schools and later worked with Diego Rivera in Mexico before settling in Taos in 1932. His work ranged from Southwestern portraits, ceremonial scenes, and landscapes to geometric abstractions informed by spiritual philosophy and theories of proportion. In 1938, he cofounded the Transcendental Painting Group with Raymond Jonson and other artists, exploring how abstract form and color could express experiences beyond the visible world. Through his paintings and the Taos School of Art, Bisttram influenced generations of Southwestern artists.
Condition
A condition report for this lot is available upon request (please include the lot number in your request) and is provided by Santa Fe Art Auction as a courtesy and convenience for potential buyers.
Emil James Bisttram
1895 - 1976
Untitled (Waterfall), 1963
oil on canvas
signed and dated lower right: [artist's cipher] / BISTTRAM / 63
40 x 25 in. (101.6 x 63.5 cm.), frame: 41 1/2 x 27 x 2 1/4 in. (105.4 x 68.6 x 5.7 cm.)
Private Collection, New Mexico, ca. 1982
Private Collection, New Mexico (by descent)
Emil James Bisttram was a Hungarian-born American painter and influential teacher who helped establish modernism in Taos, New Mexico. Raised in New York, he studied at several prominent art schools and later worked with Diego Rivera in Mexico before settling in Taos in 1932. His work ranged from Southwestern portraits, ceremonial scenes, and landscapes to geometric abstractions informed by spiritual philosophy and theories of proportion. In 1938, he cofounded the Transcendental Painting Group with Raymond Jonson and other artists, exploring how abstract form and color could express experiences beyond the visible world. Through his paintings and the Taos School of Art, Bisttram influenced generations of Southwestern artists.
Condition
A condition report for this lot is available upon request (please include the lot number in your request) and is provided by Santa Fe Art Auction as a courtesy and convenience for potential buyers.
