Two ways to bid:
Price | Bid Increment |
---|---|
$0 | $10 |
$200 | $25 |
$500 | $50 |
$1,000 | $100 |
$3,000 | $250 |
$5,000 | $500 |
$10,000 | $1,000 |
$30,000 | $2,500 |
$50,000 | $5,000 |
$100,000 | $10,000 |
Apr 27, 2024
FRITZ FAISS (GERMANY / CALIFORNIA, 1905-1981) ABSTRACT / MODERNIST PAINTING, oil / encaustic on paper, depicting a large rooster within a multitude of structures, signed "F. Faiss / ??" in lower right corner. Paper is adhered to a masonite board and unpainted frame. Mid 20th century. 27 1/2" x 19 5/8" OA.
Catalogue Note: The present group of 18 works by German-American abstract expressionist artist Fritz Faiss (1905-1981) offered in this auction are from the ex-collection of his wife, artist Janet Wullner Faiss Cloak (1933-2017).
Fritz Faiss was born on March 6, 1905 in the town of Furtwangen in the Black Forest section of southwestern Germany. One of fourteen children, Faiss became interested in art as a young boy. Between 1922 and 1928 he studied at the Bauhaus, a German school for art founded in 1919, and simultaneously studied at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart. Between 1924 and 1928, he worked as an assistant professor, where he became acquainted with many contemporary artists including Adolf Holzel. He also had training as a medical doctor. Despite Faiss having to give up his medical practice by the Nazis during the rise of Hitler, his death certificate still maintained his profession as a doctor. It is believed that Faiss used practicing medicine as a way to ensure that he was able to financially support his artistic endeavors.
As early as 1937, Faiss' art was labeled as entartet or degenerate by the Nazis. He was harassed by the Gestapo and forbidden to work as an artist, and much of his artwork was destroyed. Eventually, he was sent by the Nazis to a forced labor camp outside of Munich, where he spent about a year and became extremely ill. Of 130 prisoners, he was one of only three who survived. After his release, he accepted a position in teaching at the Stadelschule Frankfurt, an art academy in the Hessian capital. There, he lectured on encaustic painting, a process in which dry-colored pigment is mixed with heated beeswax and painted onto a heated canvas.
The American government sponsored Faiss' first exhibition after the war, in Pforzheim, in 1947, which enabled him to secure a travel visa. In 1951, he was offered a professorship at the University of California, Los Angeles, immigrating to the United States at the age of 46 and becoming an American citizen in 1956. In 1961, Faiss took a position at Valley State (now California State University of Northridge), where he taught for 12 years until his retirement in 1973. He suffered a stroke while in Hawaii in 1976, resulting in the loss of the use of his right hand. Despite the difficulties of being forced to practice with his left, he remained active until his death in 1981.
Faiss' artwork has been collected and exhibited worldwide, including in France, Italy, Germany, England, and the United States. In 1952, his first U.S. exhibit debuted in Pasadena. The most recent exhibition of his works was From Black Forest to the California Desert: The Life and Work of Fritz Faiss at the German-American Heritage Museum, Washington, DC, September 2019 - April 2020.
Very good overall condition, expected minor wear, some roughness to edges of paper. Frame with scattered glue spatter.
Descended in the Faiss family, Appleton, WI.
***Shipping:
Effective March 1, 2024 In-house shipping is no longer available with Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates (JSEA). Shipping of all lots is through one of two local UPS stores with whom we have successfully worked with in the past. Buyers will receive a shipping form to fill out and return to the UPS store. As a courtesy to our clientele, once the invoice is paid, JSEA will arrange transport and make delivery to each respective store at no extra charge. Once the items ship, buyers will receive a paid shipping invoice and tracking number.
For “No ship” lots requiring a third-party shipper, e.g. furniture, please see our list of recommendations.
Once a third party shipper has been determined, please email info@jeffreysevans.com with your preferences to ensure all paperwork is in order.
Any paid invoice with outstanding fees will be subject to the storage fees listed below. The grace period begins once the buyer is notified of shipping charges.
Due to excessive fraud, purchases can only be shipped to the billing address on the credit card used for payment. If you wish to have your purchases shipped to an alternate address, you must contact the front office to review and possibly approve the change.
***Pick Up: 2177 Green Valley Lane, Mount Crawford, VAAccounts unpaid after twenty five (25) days of the sale will be subject to a 5% monthly finance charge. Administrative fees may apply.
Available payment options