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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Nella Nebbia di Milano
Bruno Munari
Sculpture - 55 x 78 x 8 cm Sculpture - 21.7 x 30.7 x 3.1 inch
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Calebasse peinte
George Lilanga
Sculpture - 40 x 30 x 30 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch
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Les parapluies - l'effet du temps - Ludovic et Song
Riks, Tiez & Romano
Sculpture - 80 x 120 x 12 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 47.2 x 4.7 inch
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Sculpture Shetani femme et enfants
Agostino Malaba
Sculpture - 110 x 35 x 30 cm Sculpture - 43.3 x 13.8 x 11.8 inch
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Cyprés Feminin 1
Yann-Eric Eichenberger
Sculpture - 176 x 25 x 27 cm Sculpture - 69.3 x 9.8 x 10.6 inch
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Bouc émissaire
Alena Ledeneva
Sculpture - 100 x 83 x 13 cm Sculpture - 39.4 x 32.7 x 5.1 inch
$5,291
Erosiones VII, Found objects in wood box wall sculpture
Fernando Otero
Sculpture - 52.1 x 72.4 x 10.2 cm Sculpture - 20.5 x 28.5 x 4 inch
$2,500
Partons dans un baiser pour un monde inconnu
Cécile Thonus
Sculpture - 37.7 x 25.5 x 4.2 cm Sculpture - 14.8 x 10 x 1.7 inch
$1,429
Fragment paysage n°12 (sculpture murale)
Laurelle Bessé
Sculpture - 34 x 30 x 2.5 cm Sculpture - 13.4 x 11.8 x 1 inch
$476
Tree of Life #5
Olga Radionova
Sculpture - 45 x 52 x 13 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 20.5 x 5.1 inch
$6,087
Tree of Life #3
Olga Radionova
Sculpture - 50 x 55 x 12 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 21.7 x 4.7 inch
$6,087
Tintin Blue Lotus Masterpiece
Angela Gomes
Sculpture - 125 x 70 x 70 cm Sculpture - 49.2 x 27.6 x 27.6 inch
$148,815
Abstraction 2
Teimuraz Sarishvili
Sculpture - 64 x 18 x 11 cm Sculpture - 25.2 x 7.1 x 4.3 inch
$6,548
Decorative Figures
Teimuraz Sarishvili
Sculpture - 64.7 x 16 x 11.5 cm Sculpture - 25.5 x 6.3 x 4.5 inch
$7,143
Negre i vermell prim
Ferran Cartes Yerro
Sculpture - 41 x 13 x 9 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 5.1 x 3.5 inch
$446
Holistiquement vôtre
Anne Millot
Sculpture - 35 x 79 x 8 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 31.1 x 3.1 inch
$2,381
Portrait inspiré de la passion du Christ (1)
Catherine Clare
Sculpture - 37 x 19 x 30 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 7.5 x 11.8 inch
$5,953
Ippo Piccoli
Stefano Bombardieri
Sculpture - 30 x 25 x 42 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 9.8 x 16.5 inch
$25,001
N18 L'Etoile Rouge
Marc Bourlier
Sculpture - 42 x 23 x 7 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 9.1 x 2.8 inch
$1,607
N°21 La petite Famille
Marc Bourlier
Sculpture - 35 x 27 x 5 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 10.6 x 2 inch
$1,905
Compadres
Pablo Serrano Gómez
Sculpture - 48 x 103 x 117.5 cm Sculpture - 18.9 x 40.6 x 46.3 inch
$46,430
Sphère N°752 "Lacustre" Chêne Ancien
Yann Perrier
Sculpture - 19 x 19 x 19 cm Sculpture - 7.5 x 7.5 x 7.5 inch
$5,179
Hunt Cartridge belt
Codina Corona
Sculpture - 30 x 25 x 20 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 9.8 x 7.9 inch
$2,857
Phylactère "Que ma joie..."
Christian Renonciat
Sculpture - 60 x 178 x 12 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 70.1 x 4.7 inch
$17,858
Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins
André Robillard
Sculpture - 80 x 54 x 28 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 21.3 x 11 inch
$8,929
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
$1,191
Permeable Existence No.9
Mike Sasaki
Sculpture - 19 x 27.5 x 7.5 cm Sculpture - 7.5 x 10.8 x 3 inch
$2,113
Inspiration-expiration
Christian Michaud
Sculpture - 36.8 x 61 x 2.5 cm Sculpture - 14.5 x 24 x 1 inch
$824
Breeze - Arm Chair
Poonam Choudhary
Design - 73.7 x 65 x 82 cm Design - 29 x 25.6 x 32.3 inch
$2,500
Tactile memory #138
Natasha Zupan
Painting - 69.9 x 59.9 x 7.6 cm Painting - 27.5 x 23.6 x 3 inch
$6,800
Les yeux dans les tiens, souris #3
Jéko
Sculpture - 68.5 x 23 x 4 cm Sculpture - 27 x 9.1 x 1.6 inch
$3,095
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.