Krigstein the Painter (1946-89)

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Painting (1946-89)

Lost Paintings (1946-56)
Ten faded transparencies of uncatalogued paintings were found in Krigstein's studio after his death. Though presumed lost, some may still exist in collections. (Dead German was destroyed by the artist in the 1980s without explanation.)

Caseins (1956)
Krigstein did this group in mid-1956, after leaving comics for eight months to help manage his father's Manhattan garment factory.

Cora Watercolors (1956)
These early watercolors of Krigstein's daughter Cora were done during his final days in comics, perhaps to hone his skills as he prepared to enter illustration.

Northeast Watercolors (1964)
From Krigstein's 1964 Northeast trip, these watercolors were exhibited at his Harbor Gallery opening two years later.

Harry Salpeter Gallery (1964-67)
Krigstein became a member of the roster at Harry Salpeter Gallery in 1964. As the only Manhattan gallery owner who genuinely believed in him, Salpeter's 1967 death was a blow to the artist.

Northeast Mountains (1967-70)
This group had such an intensity that Natalie Krigstein asked her husband if he had been experimenting with LSD. He insisted he hadn't - though he had certainly fallen under the spell of the sixties.

Canadian Rockies (1968-69)
After a trip to the Canadian Rockies in the summer of 1967, Krigstein spent the next two years exploring them in oil.

Subways (1963-85)
Krigstein's subway paintings were few and far between. He did the first in 1963, two in 1968, and three in 1985.

Road to Spencertown (1974-78)
Autumn light in the woods of Richmond NY is the subject of this series.

Richmond Ink Drawings (1974)
When school let out each summer, Krigstein usually headed for the mountains to paint, alternating among the Adirondacks, Catskills, and Berkshires. These drawings were made at painter Hal Frater's retreat on the New York/Massachusetts border.

John's Brook (1978)
In 1978, Krigstein took a sabattical from teaching to concentrate on painting, resulting in a most prolific year. This autumn group was done in the Adirondacks.

Sketchbooks (1974-89)
Krigstein left a series of 23 sketchbooks, which began in 1974 and continued for the rest of his life.

Berkshires (1963-85)
From 1974-83, Krigstein divided his summers between the Adirondacks and the Berkshires near Great Barrington, Mass.

Adirondack Bathers (1979-84)
After concentrating on landscapes for the previous three years, in 1978 Krigstein returned to figurative subjects, including this group of bathers on the Ausable River.

Nudes (1957-75)
Krigstein did a group of nudes in 1975 at the 18th Street loft studio he shared with painters Hal Frater and Philip Reisman. Several other artists would join them to share the cost of the model.

NYC Portraits (1979-85)
These oils were from sketches made walking the streets of Manhattan.

From East Hill (1977-78)
Krigstein painted in the High Peaks Region of the Adirondacks during the summers of 1974-83. He rented a studio at The Mountain House on the East Hil in Keene, NY. The Porter and Cascade group was painted from that vista.

On the Street (1981)
Shortly before retiring from Manhattan's High School of Art and Design, Krigstein did a series in charcoal of various homeless people he encountered during his daily commute.

Bouquet River (1976)
The artist brought a Western flavor to this group of Adirondack oils.

Self Portraits (1979-89)
Krigstein returned to self portraits in 1979 (after a thirty-year drought) and did six more until the end.

NYC Buildings (1978-86)
1978 was a pivotal year in the painter's career. Along with a return to figurative subjects, he rediscovered the urban landscape from which he had been fleeing each summer.

Watercolor Nudes (1979)
For a time Krigstein shared a studio on W. 18th St. with Hal Frater and Phillip Reisman, and they would occasionally hire a model to pose. There is a corresponding group of watercolors by Frater from this session.

Kinderhook Creek (1983)
Krigstein stayed upstate throughout the fall and into part of the winter of 1983, resulting in, among other things, this distinctive group.

NYC Bridges (1978-84)
From Krigstein's urban re-awakening, here are the complete NYC Bridges.

Portraits (1979-86)
Krigstein delves into the psyches of friends and family in these late portraits.

Adirondack Range (1974-83)
Krigstein's Adirondack oils were done primarily in the vicinity of Keene, NY.

Natalie in Forest Park (1984)
Natalie Krigstein would often accompany her husband to Forest Park, lay down a blanket and read as he trekked into the woods. After an afternoon of sketching, he came upon this tableau and inspiration struck.

Adirondack Watercolors (1972-86)
These watercolors provide a more intimate and spontaneous look at Krigstein's beloved Adirondacks..

Dancers (1985)
In 1985, Natalie Krigstein cajoled her husband into joining her in a ballroom dance class. To her surprise and joy, he enjoyed it as much as she did and was very nimble on his feet.

Chatham Watercolors
(1981-88) When painting in Chatham, NY, Krigstein stayed with Natalie's brother, writer William Herrick, and his wife.

Jazz at Loeb (1981-87)
These adventurous oils were inspired by Highlights in Jazz, a series of concerts produced by Jack Kleinsinger at Manhattan's Loeb Auditorium.

Late Chatham Watercolors (1989)
This late group came from the artist's last trip upstate, in summer 1989.

Dead Trees (1989)
The final group of watercolors, done in Queens in September 1989.