Josep Bartoli i Guiu (1910-1995) Catalan/American, Tall Abstract Oil on Canvasboard. Vertically oriented with orange and taupes bordered by lines of color to create impressions of order in the chaos, this is a stunning and rare example of the artist's large scale abstract work, likely completed while he was working alongside Rothko, Pollock, and De Kooning. Signed "Bartoli" bottom right. Held in a gilt frame, with the linen board backing exposed where it is signed again along with the words "Estudios de Color."

Original Size: 57 1/2 x 48 x 2 1/4 In. 

Sight Size: 49 1/4 x 39 3/4 In. 

Josep Bartolí i Guiu (1910-1995) was a Catalan painter, cartoonist, and writer who fought in the Spanish Civil War before enduring and escaping French internment camps. He published Campos de Concentración 1939-1943, a striking collection of drawings depicting the brutal conditions of refugee captivity. Following his escape, he spent years in exile, working in Mexico and New York as a set designer, author, and illustrator associated with the 10th Street Group and Hollywood until being blacklisted during the McCarthy era. During his time in Mexico, he engaged in a notable three-year romantic relationship with artist Frida Kahlo, whose letters from their affair later gained widespread public attention. Awarded the Mark Rothko Prize in 1973, his harrowing early experiences in France were ultimately commemorated in the César Award-winning 2020 animated film “Josep.”

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