Wood Sculpture for Sale

Wood and stone were among the first materials used by humans for carving tools and creating sculptures. While wood was commonly utilized, only a few wooden objects have survived through the centuries due to its tendency to decompose faster and be more easily damaged compared to more durable materials like bronze or stone.

From the 7th to the 9th century, many woodcarvers lived in monasteries, traveling from one to another. These woodcarvers were rare, and the style they followed was often prescriptive, leading to sculptures that were strikingly similar. This period was also marked by iconoclasm, during which religious wooden sculptures were destroyed due to the prohibition of depicting religious subjects.

Wood carving has a rich history in various regions, including England, Scandinavia, Africa, India, and Australia. In Europe, the 15th and 16th centuries saw a significant development in wooden sculpture, especially in Germany. Influential Gothic sculptors like Tilman Riemenschneider, Veit Stoss, Michael Pacher, Gregor Erhart, and Jorg Zurn pushed the boundaries of woodcarving, creating highly detailed and intricate works that remain influential to this day.

In the 17th century, woodcarving experienced a resurgence in England as Baroque ornaments became popular. Grinling Gibbons, a renowned woodcarver of the time, was one of the few artists widely recognized for his contributions. Meanwhile, in France, the Rococo style reignited interest in wood carving, with designers like Lelange, Foliot, and Cressent incorporating it into ornate furniture pieces.

Modern artists such as Brancusi, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and Paul Gauguin have continued to explore wood as a medium. Brancusi, inspired by classical traditions, emphasized the finish and materiality of the wood, while Moore used it to create abstract and evocative forms. Hepworth's modern pieces and Gauguin's use of wood to connect with primitive techniques further demonstrate wood's versatile role in contemporary art.

Wood stands apart from other materials like resin or bronze due to its fragility and the range of tools required for carving. The technique used depends on the desired outcome, whether it's a low-relief sculpture or a free-standing piece that allows the viewer to walk around it. The process begins with sourcing wood planks that are flattened, dried, and calibrated. A sketch is then drawn onto the wood, and excess material is removed to roughly shape the piece. The sculptor uses tools such as u-gouges to refine the form, followed by flat gouges, chisels, and carving knives to add fine details and shadow play.

Artsper offers an extensive selection of modern wooden sculptures by prominent contemporary artists such as Nando Stevoli, Gaspard Mitz, César Orrico, Marc Laffolay, Lesley Hilling, and Valérie Carmet. These artists continue to push the boundaries of wood as a material, creating unique and striking sculptures that capture the versatility and timeless appeal of this medium.

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Sculpture, Existence06, Yasuo Kiyonaga

Existence06

Yasuo Kiyonaga

Sculpture - 39.5 x 18.8 x 3.2 cm Sculpture - 15.6 x 7.4 x 1.3 inch

$358

Sculpture, Gold on Cyan, Kat Zhivetin

Gold on Cyan

Kat Zhivetin

Sculpture - 76 x 120 x 2 cm Sculpture - 29.9 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch

$650

Sculpture, Yugen chêne, Agnès K.

Yugen chêne

Agnès K.

Sculpture - 45 x 35 x 8 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 13.8 x 3.1 inch

$1,073

Sculpture, Untitled, Codina Corona

Untitled

Codina Corona

Sculpture - 25 x 29 x 17 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 11.4 x 6.7 inch

$3,338

Sculpture, Untitled, Codina Corona

Untitled

Codina Corona

Sculpture - 21.5 x 23 x 17 cm Sculpture - 8.5 x 9.1 x 6.7 inch

$3,338

Sculpture, Feuille Tilleul, Agnès K.

Feuille Tilleul

Agnès K.

Sculpture - 45 x 30 x 10 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 11.8 x 3.9 inch

$1,311

Sculpture, Vivante, Anne Oléron

Vivante

Anne Oléron

Sculpture - 61 x 46 x 3 cm Sculpture - 24 x 18.1 x 1.2 inch

$1,431

Sculpture, Dans le vent, Anne Oléron

Dans le vent

Anne Oléron

Sculpture - 61 x 46 x 3 cm Sculpture - 24 x 18.1 x 1.2 inch

$1,431

Sculpture, Shard 2, Arthur Frénoy

Shard 2

Arthur Frénoy

Sculpture - 30 x 9 x 6 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 3.5 x 2.4 inch

$262

Sculpture, Entre Nous, Rémy Demestre

Entre Nous

Rémy Demestre

Sculpture - 39.5 x 34.5 x 17 cm Sculpture - 15.6 x 13.6 x 6.7 inch

$465

Sculpture, Shiko 3, Kojun

Shiko 3

Kojun

Sculpture - 28 x 28 x 13 cm Sculpture - 11 x 11 x 5.1 inch

$2,265

Sculpture, Ignition, Bruno Helgen

Ignition

Bruno Helgen

Sculpture - 30 x 30 x 30 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch

$3,576

Sculpture, Switch, Daksha Line

Switch

Daksha Line

Sculpture - 14 x 17 x 9 cm Sculpture - 5.5 x 6.7 x 3.5 inch

$465

Sculpture, Untitled, Pere Aragay

Untitled

Pere Aragay

Sculpture - 22 x 26 x 12 cm Sculpture - 8.7 x 10.2 x 4.7 inch

$1,431

Sculpture, Schizophylle, Agnès K.

Schizophylle

Agnès K.

Sculpture - 5 x 34 x 28 cm Sculpture - 2 x 13.4 x 11 inch

$2,265

Sculpture, Astronome, Pascal Billard

Astronome

Pascal Billard

Sculpture - 58 x 22 x 20 cm Sculpture - 22.8 x 8.7 x 7.9 inch

$1,383

Sculpture, Red Stone, Rémy Demestre

Red Stone

Rémy Demestre

Sculpture - 54 x 52 x 12 cm Sculpture - 21.3 x 20.5 x 4.7 inch

$1,013

Sculpture, Ben le tueur, Anne Millot

Ben le tueur

Anne Millot

Sculpture - 40 x 40 x 9 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 15.7 x 3.5 inch

$1,192

Sculpture, Zukroy, Rémy Demestre

Zukroy

Rémy Demestre

Sculpture - 36 x 32 x 11 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 12.6 x 4.3 inch

$417

Sculpture, Say it with flowers, Jicé

Say it with flowers

Jicé

Sculpture - 72 x 70 x 15 cm Sculpture - 28.3 x 27.6 x 5.9 inch

$6,914

Sculpture, Flowing, Gil Bruvel

Flowing

Gil Bruvel

Sculpture - 51 x 46 x 40 cm Sculpture - 20.1 x 18.1 x 15.7 inch

$26,227

Sculpture, Balthazar, Flora Gueton

Balthazar

Flora Gueton

Sculpture - 62 x 54 x 5 cm Sculpture - 24.4 x 21.3 x 2 inch

$1,431

Sculpture, Existence14, Yasuo Kiyonaga

Existence14

Yasuo Kiyonaga

Sculpture - 37 x 44.4 x 3.7 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 17.5 x 1.5 inch

$417

Sculpture, Existence02, Yasuo Kiyonaga

Existence02

Yasuo Kiyonaga

Sculpture - 35.8 x 41.5 x 3 cm Sculpture - 14.1 x 16.3 x 1.2 inch

$477

Sculpture, Bachar, Jack Jacquot

Bachar

Jack Jacquot

Sculpture - 120 x 73 x 4 cm Sculpture - 47.2 x 28.7 x 1.6 inch

$2,623

Sculpture, Poli, Arthur Frénoy

Poli

Arthur Frénoy

Sculpture - 14 x 30 x 3 cm Sculpture - 5.5 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch

$286

Sculpture, Shard 1, Arthur Frénoy

Shard 1

Arthur Frénoy

Sculpture - 35 x 7 x 3 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 2.8 x 1.2 inch

$215

Sculpture, Hanging Goofy, Angela Gomes

Hanging Goofy

Angela Gomes

Sculpture - 44 x 26 x 40 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 10.2 x 15.7 inch

$20,862

Sculpture, Split Panther, Arun A.

Split Panther

Arun A.

Sculpture - 13 x 40 x 7.5 cm Sculpture - 5.1 x 15.7 x 3 inch

$1,252

Sculpture, A contre coeur, Nal-Vad

A contre coeur

Nal-Vad

Sculpture - 159 x 24 x 26 cm Sculpture - 62.6 x 9.4 x 10.2 inch

$5,961

Sculpture, Punu 1, Nal-Vad

Punu 1

Nal-Vad

Sculpture - 175 x 69 x 30 cm Sculpture - 68.9 x 27.2 x 11.8 inch

$10,729

Sculpture, A contre coeur, Nal-Vad

A contre coeur

Nal-Vad

Sculpture - 158 x 30 x 26 cm Sculpture - 62.2 x 11.8 x 10.2 inch

$5,961

Sculpture, To Apollo, Pasturo

To Apollo

Pasturo

Sculpture - 35 x 15 x 22 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 5.9 x 8.7 inch

Sold

Sculpture, Oiseau , Corneille

Oiseau

Corneille

Sculpture - 27 x 35 x 6 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 13.8 x 2.4 inch

Sold

Sculpture, Cercle Bleu, Ciris Vell

Cercle Bleu

Ciris Vell

Sculpture - 100 x 100 x 5 cm Sculpture - 39.4 x 39.4 x 2 inch

Sold

Sculpture, The A, Wilds

The A

Wilds

Sculpture - 120 x 110 x 15 cm Sculpture - 47.2 x 43.3 x 5.9 inch

Sold

Sculpture, Horizon, Wilds

Horizon

Wilds

Sculpture - 125 x 180 cm Sculpture - 49.2 x 70.9 inch

Sold

Sculpture, Misty Morning, Wilds

Misty Morning

Wilds

Sculpture - 112 x 135 x 15 cm Sculpture - 44.1 x 53.1 x 5.9 inch

Sold

Sculpture, Confrontation, Wilds

Confrontation

Wilds

Sculpture - 114 x 118 x 15 cm Sculpture - 44.9 x 46.5 x 5.9 inch

Sold

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Need help with Wood Sculpture ?
What is the difference between wood carving and sculpture?

Wood carving refers to a process where material is taken away from a block of wood using a tool like a knife, whereas the term "sculpture" refers to any work of three-dimensional art. Sculptures can be produced using a variety of techniques. 

Who is the most famous wood carver?

One of the most famous sculptors that has worked with wood carving is Barbara Hepworth. Her work explores themes such as the contrast between the solid and the void, and the relationship between people and nature.

What is the most popular wood sculpture?

Some of the most famous wood sculptures are those of American artist Ben Butler, such as his abstract large-scale work Unbounded, which he created in 2015. The work is comprised of over 10,000 poplar sticks.