Emil Bisttram
Encyclopedia
James Emil Bisttram was an American artist, who lived in New York and Taos, New Mexico
, and was known for his modernist work.
Bisttram was born in Hungary, near the Romanian border, in 1895. When he was 11 years old, his family immigrated to New York City
. Emil grew up in the tenement buildings that had become the destination for so many Eastern Europe
an immigrant families. He was a talented artist, and after a few years began his schooling at the National Academy of Art and Design, then Cooper Union
, Parsons, and The Art Student's League. He began teaching soon after completing school, first at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts, and then at the Master Institute of the Roerich Museum.
Bisttram first visited Taos in the summer of 1930. He later fell in love with the scenery and moved there. In 1931 he won a Guggenheim Fellowship
to study mural painting
. The fellowship enabled Bisttram to travel to Mexico where he studied mural painting with the world famous muralist Diego Rivera
. Numerous mural commissions were to follow throughout his career (the Department of Justice
in Washington D.C., The Taos County Courthouse, New Mexico
, and the Federal Courthouse in Roswell, New Mexico
.)
In 1952, Bisttram co-founded the Taos Art Association, and later in '59 won the Grand Prize for painting at the New Mexico State Fair
.
In 1970, Emil Bisttram would serve as a judge and monitor for a state-wide arts grant competition for art to be placed in the newly constructed County Courthouse building, designed by architect Bill Menningbach of Taos. Ken Drew, a local sculptor, won the competition. Bisttram overseered the project for the next two years, and in June 1972 Drew completed the installation. Then-Senator Joseph Montoya
and other dignitaries from Santa Fe would officiate at the dedication ceremonies.
Taos, New Mexico
Taos is a town in Taos County in the north-central region of New Mexico, incorporated in 1934. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,700. Other nearby communities include Ranchos de Taos, Cañon, Taos Canyon, Ranchitos, and El Prado. The town is close to Taos Pueblo, the Native American...
, and was known for his modernist work.
Bisttram was born in Hungary, near the Romanian border, in 1895. When he was 11 years old, his family immigrated to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Emil grew up in the tenement buildings that had become the destination for so many Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
an immigrant families. He was a talented artist, and after a few years began his schooling at the National Academy of Art and Design, then Cooper Union
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
, Parsons, and The Art Student's League. He began teaching soon after completing school, first at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts, and then at the Master Institute of the Roerich Museum.
Bisttram first visited Taos in the summer of 1930. He later fell in love with the scenery and moved there. In 1931 he won a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
to study mural painting
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
. The fellowship enabled Bisttram to travel to Mexico where he studied mural painting with the world famous muralist Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera
Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez was a prominent Mexican painter born in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, an active communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo . His large wall works in fresco helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in...
. Numerous mural commissions were to follow throughout his career (the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
in Washington D.C., The Taos County Courthouse, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, and the Federal Courthouse in Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County in the southeastern quarter of the state of New Mexico, United States. The population was 48,366 at the 2010 census. It is a center for irrigation farming, dairying, ranching, manufacturing, distribution, and petroleum production. It is also...
.)
In 1952, Bisttram co-founded the Taos Art Association, and later in '59 won the Grand Prize for painting at the New Mexico State Fair
New Mexico State Fair
The New Mexico State Fair is an annual state fair held for 17 days in September at Expo New Mexico in the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A...
.
In 1970, Emil Bisttram would serve as a judge and monitor for a state-wide arts grant competition for art to be placed in the newly constructed County Courthouse building, designed by architect Bill Menningbach of Taos. Ken Drew, a local sculptor, won the competition. Bisttram overseered the project for the next two years, and in June 1972 Drew completed the installation. Then-Senator Joseph Montoya
Joseph Montoya
Joseph Manuel Montoya was a Democratic U.S. Senator for the State of New Mexico from 1964 until 1977.-Education:...
and other dignitaries from Santa Fe would officiate at the dedication ceremonies.
Sources
- Pintores Press; 1st edition (1988). The transcendental art of Emil Bisttram by Emil Bisttram . ISBN 978-0934116077