Have one like this?
Upload a photo for a free check of what yours may be worth.
Lot description
Emil James Bisttram 1895-1976 Pair of Figural Abstracts pencil on paper both signed lower right: Bisttram Artist Bio: Emil Bisttram was a pioneering American modernist painter and influential educator whose work helped define the Southwest art scene in the 20th century. As a founding member of the Transcendental Painting Group, he explored abstraction through spiritual and geometric compositions, bridging modernist experimentation with a profound connection to the New Mexico landscape. Bisttram worked closely with fellow TPG members Lawrence Carroll, John Tatschl, William Lumpkins, and Edgar Britton, studied with modernist mentor Andrew Dasburg, and was part of the same New Mexico artistic milieu that included Georgia O'Keeffe. His paintings often combine precise design with meditative form, reflecting his belief that art could engage both intellect and emotion. Bisttram exhibited widely during his lifetime, including at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and his works are held in major collections such as the New Mexico Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.