Original Encaustic Painting of Abstract Style [SOLD]

In 1930, Bisttram visited Taos for the first time, but found he was blocked from painting by the "grandeur of the scenery and the limitless space."  He then chose to go to Mexico to study fresco painting with Diego Rivera, becoming influenced by the strong realism and sculptured surfaces.

One year later, he returned to Taos and founded the Taos School of Art, of which he would remain the director for the rest of his life. Bisttram was an extremely articulate individual, and was as skilled at explaining concepts of composition, drawing and painting as he was at applying those concepts to his own paintings.

Bisttram first came to Taos as a representational painter; however, he began to experiment with non-objective (abstract) forms in his paintings. In 1938 Bisttram, along with Raymond Jonson and several other painters, founded the Transcendental Painting Group in Santa Fe. The aim of the group was to work to bring painting beyond the appearance of the physical world.

During the short span of time from around 1937 to 1945, Bisttram experimented with encaustic painting, also known as hot wax painting, which involves using heated beeswax to which colored pigments are added. The liquid/paste is then applied to a surface—in the case of this painting, applied to paper.

The painting is signed in lower left Bisttram and dated 40.  It is framed using a floating method where the entire painting is exposed with none covered by mat board.

Condition: original condition

Provenance:  from a gentleman in California