Material
Enamel (powder)
About
Large abstract figurative painting by Houston, TX artist Frank Dolejska. The painting depicts the face of Jesus Christ in black drawn on a brown board. Originally came out of the estate of Edward Mayo, the long-time registrar at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Framed in a beautiful, modern 3-inch thick frame. Signed and titled by the artist at the back.
Artist Biography
Frank Dolejska (1921-1989) Painter, watercolorist, sculptor, craftsperson, scenic painter. Frank C. Dolejska was born in 1921 in Houston, Texas and was the first-generation child of immigrant parents (his father from Austria-Hungary, and his mother from Moravia). Dolejska’s interest in art began early and he taught himself many of the skills used in his works. From 1938-1940, Dolejska studied under Ola McNeill Davidson along with fellow student, Robert Preusser. and was one of the modernist Houston artists who exhibited at Our Little Gallery in Houston in 1938. Dolejska and Preusser were two of the first non-objective painters in Texas, with early works dating from 1938. After serving in World War II in both Africa and Europe, Dolejska returned to Houston where he was one of the founders of the Contemporary Arts Association of Houston (later to become the Contemporary Arts Museum). He also was co-director of the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston from 1948-1956. After departing from the CAA in 1956, Dolejska took up metalwork, creating sculptures with copper and lead. During this time, he was married to artist Varah Jane “VJ” Tate who collaborated on numerous artworks and projects together. In 1957, he co-founded Handmakers and other craftsmen in Houston, and from the late 1950s-1970s, his metal works, along with works by local Houston artists, were sold commercially through the Handmakers shop. From 1966 – 1986, Dolejska was employed by Faroy, Inc. and the company marketed his limited-edition metal wall decorations. Throughout his career, Dolejska was a member of the Texas Watercolor Society, Texas Fine Arts Association, Houston Art League, Art Association of New Orleans, Contemporary Arts Association and. The Handmakers. He died in Houston in 1989 and was known to have destroyed many of his paintings, making his early paintings quite rare.
Dimensions With Frame
H 88.13 in. x W 73.88 in. x D 3 in.
Dimensions Without Frame
H 85 in. x W 70.88 in.
!["Head of Christ" Large Black Figurative Enamel Painting of Jesus Christ's Face 1955](https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/Frank-Dolejska-Christ-Room2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=320&s=f405d631a15bafbd176cbebea50feb6b 320w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/Frank-Dolejska-Christ-Room2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=540&s=bbb133a98765cf5904a587438f661315 540w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/Frank-Dolejska-Christ-Room2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=768&s=3af86666ea3ddf2375f7cce6348d7758 768w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/Frank-Dolejska-Christ-Room2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=1024&s=e398251c287a29569bb05ff9d8a241d3 1024w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/Frank-Dolejska-Christ-Room2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=1200&s=8eef229a1a3700fc394952f9e7570e9c 1200w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/Frank-Dolejska-Christ-Room2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=1440&s=b3da072f999c8e557c905d94c55fb607 1440w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/Frank-Dolejska-Christ-Room2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=1920&s=2b41b2213560cd47168c9c7349f284d9 1920w)
!["Head of Christ" Large Black Figurative Enamel Painting of Jesus Christ's Face 1955](https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/CA286.2023.0113.4918.12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=320&s=055a6dd1a55a8c6b95ea308933f8d30e 320w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/CA286.2023.0113.4918.12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=540&s=42600c795cbef5607e5b0dc2cb36c17d 540w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/CA286.2023.0113.4918.12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=768&s=32ec4862af372448a7c46ce46a578ff8 768w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/CA286.2023.0113.4918.12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=1024&s=f527a394d2e1bb8ff465b5e876828611 1024w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/CA286.2023.0113.4918.12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=1200&s=919d8712dd8ae48896d21ecc58d074ae 1200w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/CA286.2023.0113.4918.12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=1440&s=20becd8cffeb8e4a8a2f3195252c5130 1440w, https://reevesantiques.imgix.net/media/CA286.2023.0113.4918.12.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&ixlib=php-1.1.0&q=90&w=1920&s=f4c64885677186437fc6f312b2cdcc6e 1500w)