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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Robin a pris un coup de vieux
Eric Liot
Sculpture - 80 x 65 x 5 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 25.6 x 2 inch
€5,000
Morfing of Memory
Michael Levchenko
Sculpture - 87 x 42 x 24 cm Sculpture - 34.3 x 16.5 x 9.4 inch
€5,825
Grand froissé
Christian Renonciat
Sculpture - 82 x 135 x 6 cm Sculpture - 32.3 x 53.1 x 2.4 inch
€15,000
Carton horizon
Christian Renonciat
Sculpture - 40 x 93 x 5.5 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 36.6 x 2.2 inch
€7,500
The invisible map
Vincent Lamouroux
Sculpture - 60 x 60 x 20 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 23.6 x 7.9 inch
€6,500
Chalutier côtier - Sculpture - série bateau de pêche
Ronan Penanhoat
Sculpture - 13 x 56 x 2 cm Sculpture - 5.1 x 22 x 0.8 inch
€370
L'homme au bois flotté
Fabienne Blas
Sculpture - 50 x 35 x 20 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 13.8 x 7.9 inch
€1,300
Grand buste de guépard
Jürgen Lingl
Sculpture - 165 x 40 x 40 cm Sculpture - 65 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch
€19,500
Totem Bleu - jouets
Anmarie Léon
Sculpture - 30 x 14 x 14 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 5.5 x 5.5 inch
€1,000
Totheme bleu / Jouets
Anmarie Léon
Sculpture - 39 x 22 x 24 cm Sculpture - 15.4 x 8.7 x 9.4 inch
€2,400
Burn
Aaron Santos Boyd-Rochman
Sculpture - 40 x 48 x 12 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 18.9 x 4.7 inch
€2,850
SWAY
Aaron Santos Boyd-Rochman
Sculpture - 43 x 45 x 12 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 17.7 x 4.7 inch
€2,850
Idole V. sm 337
Jean-Paul Boyer
Sculpture - 71 x 90 x 90 cm Sculpture - 28 x 35.4 x 35.4 inch
€4,900
Le Grand Guerrier Got . sm 210
Jean-Paul Boyer
Sculpture - 158 x 48 x 48 cm Sculpture - 62.2 x 18.9 x 18.9 inch
€4,300
Grand tilleul de Menthonnex (74) #2
Christine Houssay
Sculpture - 90 x 50 x 35 cm Sculpture - 35.4 x 19.7 x 13.8 inch
€8,000
Sculpture foncion
JeanBaptiste Vandenheede
Sculpture - 42 x 118 x 30 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 46.5 x 11.8 inch
€3,900
L'Hippopotame "Heureux"
Noël Granger
Sculpture - 10 x 21 x 7 cm Sculpture - 3.9 x 8.3 x 2.8 inch
€190
Le Rhinocéros "Joyeux"
Noël Granger
Sculpture - 11 x 25 x 8 cm Sculpture - 4.3 x 9.8 x 3.1 inch
€190
Weekend block 2.0
Phantom Art
Sculpture - 41.5 x 23 x 8.5 cm Sculpture - 16.3 x 9.1 x 3.3 inch
€7,500
Ours Polaire Danseur
François Rambaud
Sculpture - 40 x 18 x 18 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 7.1 x 7.1 inch
€450
River of Light 2
Michael Wallner
Sculpture - 60 x 192 x 8 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 75.6 x 3.1 inch
€13,563
L'Homme des bois
Fabienne Blas
Sculpture - 50 x 35 x 35 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 13.8 x 13.8 inch
€1,000
Les p'tits Canailloux Glace au citron
Arson
Sculpture - 25.5 x 25.5 x 10 cm Sculpture - 10 x 10 x 3.9 inch
€820
Have no country but my heart
Andreea Zahiu
Sculpture - 53 x 53 x 22 cm Sculpture - 20.9 x 20.9 x 8.7 inch
€4,750
Grand papier kraft scotché, oblong
Christian Renonciat
Sculpture - 80 x 182 x 5 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 71.7 x 2 inch
€18,000
Carton ruine
Christian Renonciat
Sculpture - 110 x 80 x 20 cm Sculpture - 43.3 x 31.5 x 7.9 inch
€12,000
The Looking Glass
Casey Waterman
Sculpture - 91.4 x 182.9 x 5.1 cm Sculpture - 36 x 72 x 2 inch
€3,186
Best Sneakers VS Maurizio Cattelan
Simone De Rosa
Sculpture - 63 x 53 x 3 cm Sculpture - 24.8 x 20.9 x 1.2 inch
€490
Pow! Shoot The Bank On Wood 2014
JP Malot
Sculpture - 49 x 70 x 4.7 cm Sculpture - 19.3 x 27.6 x 1.9 inch
€3,990
Springend Konijn
Lieven Demunter
Sculpture - 120 x 80 x 84 cm Sculpture - 47.2 x 31.5 x 33.1 inch
€5,500
Le célèbre Poisson Doré des mers du sud profond . sm 768
Jean-Paul Boyer
Sculpture - 45 x 63 x 37 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 24.8 x 14.6 inch
€4,900
Figure de proue . sm 330
Jean-Paul Boyer
Sculpture - 80 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch
€3,600
L'oiseau Erika III. sm 418
Jean-Paul Boyer
Sculpture - 65 x 85 x 4 cm Sculpture - 25.6 x 33.5 x 1.6 inch
€3,700
La profonde tristesse de l'Ange . sm 525
Jean-Paul Boyer
Sculpture - 50 x 18 x 15 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 7.1 x 5.9 inch
€3,600
Le grand poisson des mers du sud. sm596
Jean-Paul Boyer
Sculpture - 65 x 101 x 4 cm Sculpture - 25.6 x 39.8 x 1.6 inch
€4,900
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
Nailed it Series No.81
Sumit Mehndiratta
Sculpture - 84 x 84 x 4 cm Sculpture - 33.1 x 33.1 x 1.6 inch
€1,000
Breeze - Arm Chair
Poonam Choudhary
Design - 73.7 x 65 x 82 cm Design - 29 x 25.6 x 32.3 inch
€2,275 €1,820
Permeable Existence No.9
Mike Sasaki
Sculpture - 19 x 27.5 x 7.5 cm Sculpture - 7.5 x 10.8 x 3 inch
€1,775
Inspiration-expiration
Christian Michaud
Sculpture - 36.8 x 61 x 2.5 cm Sculpture - 14.5 x 24 x 1 inch
€750
Tactile memory #138
Natasha Zupan
Painting - 69.9 x 59.9 x 7.6 cm Painting - 27.5 x 23.6 x 3 inch
€6,189
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.