Portrait of The President George Washington Plaster

A wall-mounted Art Nouveau relief by the Swedish sculptor Johannes Collin, signed “JC 96”, represents one of his earliest known works. Executed in plaster, the oval composition features a stylistically mussel shaped base from which emerges the finely modelled face of a young woman with long flowing hair. Her eyes are closed, conveying a sense of calm introspection and timeless beauty. The softly curved forms and delicate modelling create a serene harmony between natural rhythm and sculptural precision. The work is mounted on a later black-painted wooden plaque (26 × 33 cm), while the sculpture itself measures 21 × 18.5 cm. It is an unusually early piece by the artist, displaying craftsmanship and sensitivity. Born in Stockholm in 1873, Johannes Collin trained as a sculptor during the final years of the 19th century, a period marked by the transition from academic historicism to the organic, nature-inspired forms of Art Nouveau (Jugendstil). His early works, such as this 1896 relief, already reveal a refined awareness of contour, proportion, and the poetic interplay between human expression and natural form. Collin studied at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts (Kungliga Akademien för de fria konsterna) in Stockholm, where he was influenced by sculptors such as John Börjeson and Christian Eriksson. Over the following decades, he developed a personal style that combined naturalistic modelling with decorative rhythm and symbolic depth. He participated in exhibitions at the Konstakademien in Stockholm, in shows organized by the Swedish Artists’ Association (Svenska konstnärernas förening), and at the Baltic Exhibition in Malmö (1914)—one of the era’s major showcases of Scandinavian art and design. Throughout his career, Collin produced portraits, allegorical figures, and architectural sculpture in plaster, bronze, marble, and terracotta. His works are represented in several Swedish collections, including the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm and the Göteborgs konstmuseum, as well as in regional museums and private collections. About Art Nouveau / Jugend Art Nouveau, known in Sweden and Germany as Jugendstil, was an international artistic movement (c. 1890–1910) that sought to unite the arts under the guiding principle of nature’s harmony. Characterized by flowing lines, floral motifs, and organic rhythms, it aimed to dissolve the boundaries between fine and decorative art, bringing art into everyday life. In sculpture, this often meant a focus on the human body, sensual form, and the beauty of natural curves. Within this aesthetic, Collin’s relief of a woman’s face emerging from a mussel-shaped base carries both mythological and symbolic resonance. The motif recalls the classical image of Venus rising from the sea...

Commanding and contemplative, Helene presents a life-size female torso marked by rupture and radiance. A visible crack separates the front and back of the form—revealing an inner lay...

Plaster 480 mm; 19 inches diameter Inscribed: ‘H. Langlois du Pont de l’Arche Archeologue Peintre Graveur par son ami P. J. David (D Angers) 1838’ Collections: Sotheby’s, 22nd May...

This striking, characterful bull is a wonderful, early, and truly unique piece by the Russian/French sculptor Joseph Constant (1892-1969). Dating from the 1940s, this animal subject ...

Wood, plaster, paper clay, and acrylic, dimensions variable. Artist statement: "A 9-foot tree, skinned with remnants of my paternal grandmother’s hand-sewn quilt, hangs suspended ...

"We Are All In" is a wall hung sculpture depicting a series of arm/hand outlines overlapping. I was referencing a sports team ritual of standing in a circle before or after a game. ...

This is a plaster cast relief sculpture painted with black and white designed to be mounted directly to the wall or installed on a shelf. It is an abstract image evoking flowing water and sea life. It is reminiscent of a fossil or natural or scientific curiosity in a "Wunderkammer," or historical cabinet of curiosities. It is signed on the back. Ava Blitz...

This is a white, plaster cast sculpture designed to be mounted directly to the wall or installed on a shelf. It is an abstract image evoking the churning sea. It is reminiscent of a fossil or natural or scientific curiosity in a "Wunderkammer," or historical cabinet of curiosities. It is signed on the back. Ava Blitz...

This is an abstract painted plaster cast relief sculpture designed to be mounted directly to the wall or installed on a shelf. It is reminiscent of a fossil or natural or scientific curiosity in a "Wunderkammer," or historical cabinet of curiosities. It is signed on the back. Ava Blitz...

Admiral Byrd by Shelter Serra 2004 13”x9”x7.5” inches Cast plaster This plaster sculpture is an homage to classical sculpture and the legacy of Admiral Richard E. Byrd. Overshadowe...