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.

Read more
Sculpture, Samurai, Eric Liot

Samurai

Eric Liot

Sculpture - 120 x 70 x 80 cm Sculpture - 47.2 x 27.6 x 31.5 inch

$18,720

Sculpture, Cooling, Mark Hellbusch

Cooling

Mark Hellbusch

Sculpture - 72 x 65 x 4 cm Sculpture - 28.3 x 25.6 x 1.6 inch

$2,457

Sculpture, Adosse G, Jacques Senger

Adosse G

Jacques Senger

Sculpture - 178 x 30 x 15 cm Sculpture - 70.1 x 11.8 x 5.9 inch

$4,282

Sculpture, OCB Dingo, Alain Louiset

OCB Dingo

Alain Louiset

Sculpture - 80 x 44 x 5.7 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 17.3 x 2.2 inch

$1,170

Sculpture, Magnétix, Rémy Demestre

Magnétix

Rémy Demestre

Sculpture - 59 x 73 x 12 cm Sculpture - 23.2 x 28.7 x 4.7 inch

$1,696

Sculpture, Net, Svetli Evgeniev

Net

Svetli Evgeniev

Sculpture - 39 x 42 x 3 cm Sculpture - 15.4 x 16.5 x 1.2 inch

$1,802

Sculpture, Mandala, Louise Van Reeth

Mandala

Louise Van Reeth

Sculpture - 105 x 105 x 8 cm Sculpture - 41.3 x 41.3 x 3.1 inch

$4,095

Sculpture, Tube II, Daniel Jung

Tube II

Daniel Jung

Sculpture - 45 x 33 x 23 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 13 x 9.1 inch

$1,521

Sculpture, Frutta mista, GiFoArs

Frutta mista

GiFoArs

Sculpture - 10 x 40 x 40 cm Sculpture - 3.9 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch

$585

Sculpture, Le chat, Corneille

Le chat

Corneille

Sculpture - 105 x 100 x 18 cm Sculpture - 41.3 x 39.4 x 7.1 inch

$43,056

Sculpture, Orb I, Christian Möller

Orb I

Christian Möller

Sculpture - 51 x 51 x 5 cm Sculpture - 20.1 x 20.1 x 2 inch

$1,404

Sculpture, Leaves 1, Laurent Laporta

Leaves 1

Laurent Laporta

Sculpture - 38 x 30 x 9 cm Sculpture - 15 x 11.8 x 3.5 inch

$1,872

Sculpture, Il sognatore, Crix Lune

Il sognatore

Crix Lune

Sculpture - 32 x 29 x 13.5 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 11.4 x 5.3 inch

$585

Sculpture, Le trio, Odin Pigelet

Le trio

Odin Pigelet

Sculpture - 65 x 35 x 2 cm Sculpture - 25.6 x 13.8 x 0.8 inch

$819

Sculpture, Wave pearl eggplant, KX2

Wave pearl eggplant

KX2

Sculpture - 27 x 27 x 9 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 10.6 x 3.5 inch

$1,872

Sculpture, Yin & Yang, Rezo Khasia

Yin & Yang

Rezo Khasia

Sculpture - 74 x 24 x 23 cm Sculpture - 29.1 x 9.4 x 9.1 inch

$8,190

Sculpture, Shurale, Zulfiya Spowart

Shurale

Zulfiya Spowart

Sculpture - 115 x 95 x 3 cm Sculpture - 45.3 x 37.4 x 1.2 inch

$3,510

Sculpture, Untitled 40, Issa Halloum

Untitled 40

Issa Halloum

Sculpture - 80 x 40 x 20 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 15.7 x 7.9 inch

$4,400

Sculpture, Jagoanku, Kusbudiyanto

Jagoanku

Kusbudiyanto

Sculpture - 75 x 70 x 30 cm Sculpture - 29.5 x 27.6 x 11.8 inch

$2,574

Sculpture, Florence, Maarten Demmink

Florence

Maarten Demmink

Sculpture - 20 x 18 x 18 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 7.1 x 7.1 inch

$1,521

Sculpture, Bohême, K-OD

Bohême

K-OD

Sculpture - 42 x 42 x 32 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 16.5 x 12.6 inch

$994

Sculpture, Ash vessel #3, Oliver Lott

Ash vessel #3

Oliver Lott

Sculpture - 23 x 15 x 13 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 5.9 x 5.1 inch

$1,170

Sculpture, Cormoran, Alain Derda

Cormoran

Alain Derda

Sculpture - 85 x 30 x 50 cm Sculpture - 33.5 x 11.8 x 19.7 inch

$2,340

Sculpture, Joy 1, Michael Levchenko

Joy 1

Michael Levchenko

Sculpture - 65 x 25 x 11 cm Sculpture - 25.6 x 9.8 x 4.3 inch

$4,800

Sculpture, Owl, Dávid Máriássy

Owl

Dávid Máriássy

Sculpture - 37 x 26 x 1 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 10.2 x 0.4 inch

$977 $860

Sculpture, Heart Skull, VL.

Heart Skull

VL.

Sculpture - 71 x 77 x 4 cm Sculpture - 28 x 30.3 x 1.6 inch

$3,217

Sculpture, Snoop, Hugo W2CJ

Snoop

Hugo W2CJ

Sculpture - 120 x 70 x 2 cm Sculpture - 47.2 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch

$5,850

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.