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Wood Sculpture

Wood and stone were the some of the first materials carved by humans to make tools. Although wood was very commonly used, only few objects survived through the centuries as its decomposes faster and can be destroyed more easily than bronze or stone for example.

Between 700 and 900, most woodcarvers lived in monasteries. Travelling from monastery to monastery, these carvers were few and far between. The was a relatively prescriptive style and many remaining sculpturesfrom this period are quite similar. This era was marked by the constraints of iconoclasm: many religious objects made of wood were destroyed because of the condemnation of representation of religious subjects.

Many sculptures have also been found in England and Scandinavian countries. Wood is also widely used in Africa to create masks, small statues and objects, as well as in India and by aboriginal artists in Australia.

In Europe, it was in the 15th and 16th centuries that wooden sculpture became highly developed, especially in Germany. This was thanks to Gothic sculptors such as Tilman Riemenschneider, Veit Stoss, Michael Pacher, Gregor Erhart and Jorg Zurn who pushed the medium to its limits, creating astonishingly detailed works.

Woodcarving reappeared in the 17th century in England as Baroque ornaments grew in popularity. Master Grinling Gibbons's was a leading artist of the time and one of the few woodcarvers to be widely recognised in his homeland. In France, Rococo brought woodcarving back into fashion, with designers such as Lelange, Foliot and Cressent, who focused on creating furniture.

Several modern artists also used wood, notably Brancusi, who was influenced by the classical tradition which emphasised the finish and materiality of the wood. Henry Moore preferred using this valuable material to create his abstract and evocative shapes, while Barbara Hepworth created incredibly modern works of art and Paul Gauguin used wood to reconnect with and learn from primitive techniques...

Wood is very different from other materials, such as resin or bronze, as it is quite fragile and requires a wide range of tools.The technique to be used differs according to the desired shape because the sculpture can take the form of a low-relief or be carved in the round (a sculpture on base that the viewer can walk around). One must first source planks of wood, flattened, dried and calibrated. Next a sketch of the sculpture is drawn onto the support, the bulk of the wood is then removed and the object is shaped more carefully using u-gouges to remove as much excess material. Next the finer details as well as shadow play are added using a range of tools including flat gouges, chisels, and carving knives.

Artsper features a wide selection of modern wooden sculptures byNando Stevoli, Gaspard Mitz, César Orrico, Marc Laffolay, Lesley Hilling or Valérie Carmet.

Collector’s Guide: Collecting Sculptures

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Hersk, Something to Suck 362, Sculpture

Hersk

Something to Suck 362, 2021
24.4 x 9.8 x 2 inch
Sculpture

$783

Ed Templeton, Copper Head, Sculpture

Ed Templeton

Copper Head, 2005
17.75 x 6.5 x 2.75 inch
Sculpture

$15,669

Tarek, Custom lettre A, Sculpture

Tarek

Custom lettre A, 2015
9.1 x 8.7 x 2 inch
Sculpture

$256

Natalie Laudon, Western comics, Sculpture

Natalie Laudon

Western comics, 2021
37.4 x 22 x 22 inch
Sculpture

$13,861

Russell Frampton, Nusakan Plan, Sculpture

Russell Frampton

Nusakan Plan, 2021
33.5 x 33.5 x 1.2 inch
Sculpture

$5,081

Claire Mahey & Pierre-David Abt, L'Olivier Millénaire en Noyer, Sculpture

Claire Mahey & Pierre-David Abt

L'Olivier Millénaire en Noyer, 2018
24 x 24 x 0.4 inch
Sculpture

$1,145

Olga Oreshyna, Daisy twist, Sculpture

Olga Oreshyna

Daisy twist, 2020
24 x 24 x 2.5 inch
Sculpture

$1,900

C215, Kid, Sculpture

C215

Kid, 2019
26.4 x 10.6 x 3.9 inch
Sculpture

$4,219

Sergio Moscona, Personaje Quiteno, Sculpture

Sergio Moscona

Personaje Quiteno, 2010
14.6 x 11.8 x 3.9 inch
Sculpture

$2,049

Lis Sam, King of roses, Sculpture

Lis Sam

King of roses, 2020
11.8 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch
Sculpture

$1,362

Corneille, Chants d’oiseaux, Sculpture

Corneille

Chants d’oiseaux, 1992
21.3 x 26.8 x 4.7 inch
Sculpture

$10,245

Bault, Sans titre, Sculpture

Bault

Sans titre, 2021
15 x 11.4 x 1.6 inch
Sculpture

$1,386

Hersk, Something to Suck Medium 88, Sculpture

Hersk

Something to Suck Medium 88, 2021
36.2 x 12.6 x 2.8 inch
Sculpture

$1,446

Jérémy Ferreira, Luxury Basketball Louis Vuitton Black and White, Sculpture

Jérémy Ferreira

Luxury Basketball Louis Vuitton Black and White, 2020
35.4 x 43.3 x 17.7 inch
Sculpture

$3,013

tizlu, Freedom, Sculpture

tizlu

Freedom, 2021
35.4 x 34.4 x 6.3 inch
Sculpture

$3,375

Philarthrop, Condensed Love, Sculpture

Philarthrop

Condensed Love, 2020
8.7 x 8.7 x 3.9 inch
Sculpture

$422

Evrard & Koch, Hors Cadre #3.3, Sculpture

Evrard & Koch

Hors Cadre #3.3, 2018
40.9 x 24.4 x 13 inch
Sculpture

$11,450

Mistergoo, Bisous Chanel balloon, Sculpture

Mistergoo

Bisous Chanel balloon, 2020
20.5 x 14.4 x 4.3 inch
Sculpture

$699

Kazuhiko Tanaka, Diner with an acrobat, Sculpture

Kazuhiko Tanaka

Diner with an acrobat, 2017
13 x 5.1 x 2 inch
Sculpture

$1,627 $1,808

Alberonero, Scala, Sculpture

Alberonero

Scala, 2019
32.7 x 22.4 x 12.2 inch
Sculpture

$3,134

Christian Nesler, Nuageux en fin de journée, Sculpture

Christian Nesler

Nuageux en fin de journée, 2015
27.6 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch
Sculpture

$3,616

Jef Aérosol, Asian baby, Sculpture

Jef Aérosol

Asian baby, 2019
23.6 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
Sculpture

$3,616

Onemizer, Bart I Love Skate 2, Sculpture

Onemizer

Bart I Love Skate 2, 2020
32.1 x 8.1 x 1.8 inch
Sculpture

$1,916

Shaka, Corps Noir, Sculpture

Shaka

Corps Noir, 2019
47.2 x 47.2 x 15.7 inch
Sculpture

$15,669

Fabrice Anneville-Constance, Harmonica, Sculpture

Fabrice Anneville-Constance

Harmonica, 2021
37.4 x 37 x 1.6 inch
Sculpture

$2,652

Our recommendations Pablo Reinoso, The Looping One, Sculpture

Pablo Reinoso

The Looping One, 2020
17.7 x 112.2 x 29.1 inch
Sculpture

$108,477

Karel Appel, From the Circus series. Flower Clown, Sculpture

Karel Appel

From the Circus series. Flower Clown, 1978
39.4 x 47.2 x 9.8 inch
Sculpture

$45,199

Sank, Plante carnivore, Sculpture

Sank

Plante carnivore, 2020
24.8 x 11.8 x 15.7 inch
Sculpture

$2,170

André Robillard, Pistolet USA Rapide, Sculpture

André Robillard

Pistolet USA Rapide, 2015
9.8 x 7.1 x 2.6 inch
Sculpture

$1,928

Mlle Terite, Sans titre, Sculpture

Mlle Terite

Sans titre, 2018
26 x 6.5 x 0.4 inch
Sculpture

$603

Chrystèle Saint-Amaux, Le grand sage, Sculpture

Chrystèle Saint-Amaux

Le grand sage, 2015
24 x 15.7 x 7.5 inch
Sculpture

$920

Michele Cossyro, White Cosmic Folds, Sculpture

Michele Cossyro

White Cosmic Folds, 2017
16.9 x 18.1 x 0.2 inch
Sculpture

$3,375

Our recommendations Martina Merlini, Untitled, Sculpture

Martina Merlini

Untitled, 2019
25.6 x 15.7 x 11.8 inch
Sculpture

$2,953

Oliver Ney, Coca Cola, Sculpture

Oliver Ney

Coca Cola, 2020
41.7 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch
Sculpture

$3,134

Mihaela Mihaylova, Spill 2, Sculpture

Mihaela Mihaylova

Spill 2, 2021
9.8 x 8.7 x 0.6 inch
Sculpture

$205

Vladimir Michev, Autumn, Sculpture

Vladimir Michev

Autumn, 2019
78.7 x 47.2 x 39.4 inch
Sculpture

$2,531

Thierry Martenon, N°080720 (TM72), Sculpture

Thierry Martenon

N°080720 (TM72), 2020
44.9 x 20.1 x 3.9 inch
Sculpture

$9,883

Emmanuel Bour, Léopard sur Canapé, Sculpture

Emmanuel Bour

Léopard sur Canapé, 2017
21.3 x 21.3 x 1.2 inch
Sculpture

$3,375

Arsen, Souriceau, Sculpture

Arsen

Souriceau, 2021
9.1 x 3.9 x 6.7 inch
Sculpture

$597 $663

Nino Franchina, Composition with Nails, Sculpture

Nino Franchina

Composition with Nails, 1970
18.5 x 3.1 x 2 inch
Sculpture

$3,495

Thomas Danel, TD05, Sculpture

Thomas Danel

TD05, 2018
23.2 x 23.2 x 6.3 inch
Sculpture

$2,652

Rainier Lericolais, Suspension, Sculpture

Rainier Lericolais

Suspension, 2014
20 x 8 x 1.2 inch
Sculpture

$2,411

Egor Plotnikov, La route vers la mer, Sculpture

Egor Plotnikov

La route vers la mer, 2019
6.7 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch
Sculpture

$904

Mario Dilitz, 151, Sculpture

Mario Dilitz

151, 2015
36.2 x 18.9 x 15.7 inch
Sculpture

$29,530

Thierry Corpet, Tiny - Hommage Basquiat I, Sculpture

Thierry Corpet

Tiny - Hommage Basquiat I, 2021
14 x 11.8 x 2.8 inch
Sculpture

$542 $723

MNFF, Mickey Croisette, Sculpture

MNFF

Mickey Croisette, 2020
21.7 x 16.1 x 4.7 inch
Sculpture

$3,495

Grégoire Lavigne, Pilotis 2, Sculpture

Grégoire Lavigne

Pilotis 2, 2020
4.3 x 21.7 x 13.8 inch
Sculpture

$1,145

Charles Khoury, Untitled, Sculpture

Charles Khoury

Untitled, 2019
20.9 x 6.3 x 6.7 inch
Sculpture

$2,500

Benjamin Affagard aka Come, Street Vitrine 'Maison de la Presse', Sculpture

Benjamin Affagard aka Come

Street Vitrine 'Maison de la Presse', 2019
15 x 14.6 x 2.8 inch
Sculpture

$1,808

Thierry Mesquita, Ceci n'est pas une chaise, Sculpture

Thierry Mesquita

Ceci n'est pas une chaise, 2018
33.5 x 17.7 x 17.7 inch
Sculpture

$2,170

Fabienne Blas, Drôle de Chèvre, Sculpture

Fabienne Blas

Drôle de Chèvre, 2019
19.7 x 19.7 x 6.7 inch
Sculpture

$1,687

Alexandre Ferrand, C.D Silk Skate, Sculpture

Alexandre Ferrand

C.D Silk Skate, 2021
31.5 x 7.9 x 2 inch
Sculpture

$904

Alain Derda, Cormoran, Sculpture

Alain Derda

Cormoran, 2019
33.5 x 11.8 x 19.7 inch
Sculpture

$2,411

Théo Drucker, Water, Sculpture

Théo Drucker

Water, 2020
31.5 x 55.1 x 1.6 inch
Sculpture

$2,411

Stefan Ivanov, Situation III from the Project Placebo, Sculpture

Stefan Ivanov

Situation III from the Project Placebo, 2016
41.3 x 15 x 13.4 inch
Sculpture

$6,388

Giacomo Balla, Pair of Placeholders, Sculpture

Giacomo Balla

Pair of Placeholders, 1930
8.9 x 3.4 x 0.1 inch
Sculpture

$6,027

Antoine Vidal, Naissance du hasard (AV14), Sculpture

Antoine Vidal

Naissance du hasard (AV14), 2015
11.4 x 3.1 x 2.8 inch
Sculpture

$3,375

Dominique Blais, Entropê, Sculpture

Dominique Blais

Entropê, 2015
50.2 x 20.5 x 20.5 inch
Sculpture

$15,307

Songlin Ji, L’ouvrier, Sculpture

Songlin Ji

L’ouvrier, 2017
51.2 x 27.6 x 27.6 inch
Sculpture

$3,134

Nadine Ackermans, Automate, Sculpture

Nadine Ackermans

Automate, 2019
22.4 x 11.8 x 8.3 inch
Sculpture

$663

Marianne Cresson, Tissus associatif, Sculpture

Marianne Cresson

Tissus associatif, 2011
53.1 x 19.7 x 4.3 inch
Sculpture

$1,928

Wilds, Tectonic plates I, Sculpture

Wilds

Tectonic plates I, 2015
43.3 x 47.2 x 5.9 inch
Sculpture

$14,403

Gyfle, Nunc Est, Sculpture

Gyfle

Nunc Est, 2019
35.4 x 32.3 x 0.2 inch
Sculpture

$2,640

Daniel Tostivint, Sans titre, Sculpture

Daniel Tostivint

Sans titre, 2019
15.7 x 7.9 x 3.9 inch
Sculpture

$470

60 Artworks on 1992

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