La riscoperta del <i>Transcendental Painting Group</i>: un capitolo trascurato della storia dell’arte americana

Abstract

The Transcendental Painting Group (TPG), active in New Mexico between 1938 and 1945, promoted a form of non-objective painting connected to spiritual ideals. The works of its members, long marginalized by art history, have never been brought together and presented as a testament to the group outside the United States. To the best of our knowledge, this article is the first non-U.S. study devoted to the TPG and offers a comprehensive overview of the movement, situating it within the history of American abstraction and examining its esoteric and theosophical dimensions. It also explores the cultural context of the American Southwest, the role of women within the group, and the factors underlying both its limited historical reception and its recent rediscovery (2020–2023). Particular attention is given to the painter Agnes Pelton, whose critical reappraisal has played a decisive role in rekindling interest in the TPG. It is hoped that this contribution will further stimulate recognition of the group beyond the United States.