Modern Torso Painting by Robert R. Bliss

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An interesting story with this very striking painting from an artist whose paintings are growing in value every year. This … Read more An interesting story with this very striking painting from an artist whose paintings are growing in value every year. This work was found hidden away in an old chest of drawers where it had likely been undisturbed for a very long period of time based on the discoloration of the tissue paper (pictured) that protected the painting from its protective folder. Interestingly, it was this folder that held the key to the painting's history. Hand written on the bottom left corner of the inside of the folder is the identifying information--"Torso Sketch: JWK, by Rob't Bliss, Deerfield, March 1959." Nothing is written on the verso.

Robert Ryel Bliss was an American artist that lived from 1925 to 1981. As a young artist in 1959 (coincidentally the same year this painting) he was publicly lauded by the master Andrew Wyeth as one of America's most promising up and coming painters. Over the years since his death his work has been sought after by many collectors perhaps most notably the late Malcolm Forbes, the founder of the Forbes media empire.

After doing extensive research, I believe that this piece was not known to exist and has never been sold at auction. See less