San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church at Ranchos de Taos [SOLD]

Carl Von Hassler was an amazing artist who was partly responsible for bringing attention to Albuquerque as an art colony.  Von Hassler, Carl Redin, Raymond Jonson, Howard Schleeter, Nils Hogner and others dominated the art scene in the early 20^th century and it is to them we owe gratitude for establishing an art scene in Albuquerque.  There were female artists as well, but they were in mid- and late-20^th century.

Von Hassler was fond of painting scenes in the small Northern New Mexico Hispanic villages, mostly those on the High Road to Taos, villages like Las Trampas, Truchas, Peñasco and others.  He also painted scenes in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, invariably including the Sandia Mountains and Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  Occasionally, he ventured on to the area of Taos as seen in this painting of the San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church in Ranchos de Taos.

It has been said that every artist who ever stepped foot in New Mexico either painted or photographed the San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church in Ranchos de Taos.  Most artists, if not all, concentrated on painting or photographing the back of the church building because of the massive buttresses that support the walls.  Von Hassler chose to paint the front entrance of the church, probably one of the few artists to do so.

This painting is signed in lower left but not dated.  Von Hassler passed away in 1969 so it is likely that the painting was completed before 1950 when he was young and travelled more frequently.  The church is the predominant feature of the painting but the artist, not known for including people in his paintings, did so in this one.  He shows people heading into the church.  An adobe building hovered over by cottonwood trees with leaves turning yellow identifies the season as fall, probably early October.

The painting incorporates many colors and textures and was executed with his careful paint application with palette knife.  It is a powerful presentation and illustrates well the artist’s ability to work with texture and color, depth and perspective, and overall composition.  Von Hassler critically studied his subject before putting its image on canvas.  He was well versed in New Mexico plants and people and was particularly careful to present each as it existed.  He painted what he saw and not what one wanted to see.  His paintings are an accurate reflection of what existed at the time.  This is a rare example of a painting by Von Hassler with people included.

Condition: excellent condition