Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
MID-CENTURY MODERN STYLE
Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.
ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Emerged during the mid-20th century
- Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
- A heyday of innovation in postwar America
- Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe
CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN
- Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
- A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
- Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
- Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
- Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
- Promotion of functionality
MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Eero Saarinen
- Milo Baughman
- Florence Knoll
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- George Nelson
- Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa
ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS
- Eames lounge chair
- Nelson daybed
- Florence Knoll sofa
- Egg chair
- Womb chair
- Noguchi coffee table
- Barcelona chair
VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS
The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.
Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively.
Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer.
Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.
The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by celebrated manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.
As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.
Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.
Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.
to
301
1,712
32
28
1
2
1,709
60
26
987
511
3
4
5
18
45
228
257
296
69
32
1,772
1,614
1,283
518
516
376
299
225
218
167
127
96
78
56
56
42
26
21
713
466
309
247
225
1,016
690
996
489
434
434
127
Height
to
Width
to
1,772
1,771
1,772
30
19
18
16
13
Style: Mid-Century Modern
Vintage Multi Color Glass Egg Sculpture by Kosta Boda
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful vintage hand-blown Art glass sculpture by Kosta Boda. This sculpture, shaped like an egg and in soft and bright hues of blues, lavender and whites was created by Monica Bac...
Category
1970s Swedish Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Glass
Sylvia Weiss Bronze Chicago Modern Dancer Figure on Wood Base
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Hand sculpted bronze dancer sculpture created by listed artist Sylvia Weiss of Chicago, Illinois. Sculpture measures 9.5" by 6" by 3.5" and is signed S. Weiss on the base. In very g...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Agnese Udinotti Brutalist Figures Sculpture, 1960
s
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Late 1960s Brutalist steel sculpture depicting abstracted figures by Arizona artist Agnese Udinotti.
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Cut Steel
Handmade Wood Carving
Located in Seattle, WA
Handmade wood carving with nice patina and character. Vintage condition as pictured. Listing is for described item only. Box H9
Dimensions: 3.5”L ;3"W;7"H
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Mid-Century Modern Hand Carved Wood Fruits and Bowl
Located in Barcelona, ES
Set of 10 hand carved wooden fruits with bowl. High level of craftsmanship, executed in a handful of different hardwoods.
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Hardwood
Solid Bronze Female Torso II
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Solid bronze sculpture. This piece features the female form. A beautiful display piece for a shelf or paperweight. Signed G. Shaw.
Dimensions
2" width x 2.25" depth x 4.75" height.
...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Mid-Century Modern Bronze Bust by J.D. Murillo
Located in Houston, TX
Mid-Century Modern bronze bust by J.D. Murillo.
Interesting Mid-Century Modern Brancusi inspired patinated bronze bust or head sculpture signed J.D....
Category
20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Painted Metal Sculpture of Palm or Banana Tree and Flower
Located in Palm Beach, FL
A painted metal palm tree or banana with removable leaves. Detailed trunk and leaves and a fabulous white flower. What is it about palm trees, that conjures up the romantic? Perfect ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal
"Ocean Bottom, " Mid Century Bronze Sculpture with Fish, Seaweed and Seashells
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Charming and lively, this rare bronze sculpture depicts a school of fish, undulating in the ocean current, intermixed with seaweed rising from the sea floor ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
$1,200 Sale Price
20% Off
Carved and polished stylized rosewood desktop sculpture of sea lion
Located in Ferndale, MI
Solid piece of rosewood carved into a fine desktop sculpture of a stylized sea lion .
Category
Mid-20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Rosewood
Chinese Art Glass Figurine by Dino Rosin for Murano Glass
By Dino Rosin, Murano 5
Located in San Diego, CA
Gorgeous art glass Chinese figurine in green swirl, black and clear Murano glass, circa 1970s. The pieces is signed "Rosin Murano" and has incredibly vibrant color and great texture!...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Art Glass
$380 Sale Price
20% Off
Italian Ceramic Wall Sconces by Otello Rosa for San Polo, Venenzia
By San Polo
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Italian ceramic figural minstrels or harlequins wall mounted sconces are made by San Polo and are designed by Otella Rosa. These brilliant enameled ceramic sculptural wall sconces ar...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
Signed Philippe Jamin Bronze Mid Century Modern Figural Sculpture of Three Women
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
This signed Philippe Jamin bronze sculpture is a striking example of Mid Century Modern art, capturing the elegance and abstraction that defined the era. The composition depicts thre...
Category
1980s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
$1,836 Sale Price
20% Off
Resin Sculpture by A. Santini Tuscany, 1970s
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Resin women sculpture by Santini Tuscany, a one-of-a-kind piece of Italian design that is sure to make a statement in any space. This unique piece is a true work of art, crafted from...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
American Modern Ceramic Silver Glazed Reclining Man, Jaru
Located in Queens, NY
American Modern Ceramic Silver Glazed Reclining Man, Jaru.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Edward Higgins Steel
Epoxy Owl Sculpture on Pedestal, Signed
Dated 1960
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A steel and epoxy 'Owl' sculpture on white pedestal base by Edward Higgins (1930 - 2006), signed and dated 1960.
Higgins was born in Gaffney, South C...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Steel
$10,500 Sale Price
25% Off
Vintage Modernist Nude Rubenesque Women Terracotta Sculpture By F. Kahn MCM
By Henry Moore
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Vintage Modernist Nude Rubenesque Women, Terracotta Sculpture.
The sculpture is super heavy and made beautifully. Placed on a wooden block.
Possibly by F. Kahn. (it's hard to read ...
Category
20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
Italian Midcentury Ceramic Deposition of Christ Sculpture 1950s
Located in Reggio Emilia, IT
Italian midcentury modern design glazed ceramic sculpture depicting the Deposition of Christ, 1950s, attributed to the artist Tonino Grassi of Reggio Emilia, Italy 1950s
Please note...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
Pino Signoretto Murano Art Glass Nude Sculpture Signed by the Artist
Located in Ann Arbor, MI
Pino Signoretto Murano Art Glass Nude Sculpture Signed by the Artist As shown. Very complicated nude sculpted into a circle applied to a black glass base.
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Art Glass
Mid Century Era Cold-Painted Cast Metal Horse Racing Jockey Sculpture
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This cast and cold painted spelter horse jockey sculpture is unsigned, and presumed to have been made in the United States in approximately 1960. The scu...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Spelter
Carl Aubock Patinated Brass "Walking" Figural Sculpture #4058
Located in Chalk Hill, PA
Carl Aubock Patinated Brass "Walking" Figural Sculpture #4058 designed in the 1950's. Currently produced by Carl Auböck IV in the original Auböck workshop in Vienna, Austria using th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Austrian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Brass
Marble Skull Sculpture
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This stylized marble skull is sculpted from solid marble, showcasing the beautiful veins of color throughout the skull. An odd and unusual sculpture, this...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
Set of Murano glass objects by Carlo Nason for V.Nason&Co, 1970s
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Carlo Nason designed these objects in the 1970s for V.Nason&Co, the company of his father Vincenzo Nason.
They are made of Murano glass in four striking colours. The items could be ...
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Murano Glass
Vintage Italian Este Blanc De Chine Glazed Ceramic Fruit Bowl
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Add a touch of European elegance to your table setting with our Vintage Italian Este Blanc De Chine Glazed Ceramic Fruit Bowl. Crafted with exquisite attention to detail, this timeless piece combines Italian craftsmanship with American sophistication, offering a stunning centerpiece for showcasing your favorite fruits with style and grace.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Ceramic
Vintage Ron Lee Clown Sculpture, "High Diver" or "Diving Board Circus Clown"
By Ron Lee
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Introducing this wonderful vintage collectible figurine designed by Ron Lee in the 1983. It features a clown figurine posed as a high diver on a tall structure, poised over a ring re...
Category
1980s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Onyx, Metal, Gold Plate, Enamel
Olger Villegas Bronze Sculpture of a Mother and Child
By Olger Villegas
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Green patinated bronze of a mother and child mounted on a wood plinth base. Signed on verso as shown.
Condition: Light loss and dents to wood.
Category
20th Century Costa Rican Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Pair of C2C Designs, a Resin Based Sculptural Ear and Nose Bookend Set
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A wonderful pair of iconic C2 Design bookends. The pair combine a combination pop Nose and Ear. The resin has a stone look and are very popular. The pai...
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Resin, Acrylic
Figurine of a Standing Female Figure in Classical Style with Aged Patina
Located in Seattle, WA
A detailed figurine depicting a standing female figure in long, flowing drapery inspired by classical forms. The figure is posed with one arm at her side and the other slightly ben...
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Important Italian Bronze Sculpture by Nado Canuti, Untitled
Located in Milano, IT
Eccentric and rare bronze sculpture by Italian master Nado Canuti from the 1950s. The sculpture is called: Untitled. Made entirely of bronze with a glass base.
The sculpture is a per...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
$6,195 Sale Price
20% Off
1977 Mid-Century Modern Alan "Budd" Lewin Bronze Surrealist Figures Sculpture
Located in St. Louis, MO
Alan "Budd" Lewin Missouri (1908-2005). Unique circa 1970s MCM bronze abstract two space alien figures on layered travertine base. Signed Lewin on the back of one sculpture. Budd oft...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Travertine, Bronze
Large Very Fine Carved Wood Sculpture of a Sail Boat c1960s MINT!
By Curtis Jeré
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Large Very Fine Carved Wood Sculpture of a Sail Boat c1960s MINT!
Category
20th Century Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Walnut
Murano Copper Gold Italian Art Glass Pear Apple Banana Fruit Figures Sculpture
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage set of Murano hand blown cover aventurine and gold flecks Italian art glass pear, apple, and banana figures / sculptures. The pieces are documented to designer Alfr...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Gold Leaf
Mid Century Tole Palm Tree Sculpture
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Chic vintage Italian palm tree object of art having tole leaves on a brass trunk in a classical porcelain planter with quartz stones.
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Quartz, Metal, Brass
Dino Rosin: Murano sailboat, calcedonia glass sculpture
By Dino Rosin
Located in Zemst, BE
Sailboat by Dino Rosin
Dino Rosin (°Italy °1948) is a Murano based artist.
Big glass sculpture in calcedonia technique.
Handcrafted and mouthblown.
This unique item was created in...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Art Glass, Blown Glass
Mid-century Nude Lovers Bronze Sculpture Statue By Francesco Messina
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Fantastic Sculpture of a couple of naked lovers kissing, Both nude.
Perfect size, will go perfect in any space.
Francesco Messina (15 December 1900 – 13 September 1995) was an Italian sculptor of the 20th century.
Francesco Messina was born at Linguaglossa in the Province of Catania in a very poor family. Growing up in Genoa, where he also studied and lived until he was 32, he then moved to Milan.
Art historians consider him one of the most important figurative sculptors of Novecento, together with Giacomo Manzù, Arturo Martini, Marino Marini. He is the author of some of the greatest works of the Novecento Italiano[citation needed] and his sculptures are displayed in the most famous museums, among which: Bern, Zürich, Gothenburg, Oslo, Munich, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Venice, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Vienna, Washington, D.C. and Tokyo.
From 1922, he began exhibiting his work regularly at the Biennale Internazionale d'Arte in Venice and between 1926 and 1929 he took part in the expos organised by the art group Novecento Italiano in Milan. In 1932, he moved to Milan, where in 1934 he obtained a tenured professorship 1934 in Sculpture at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, of which he became the director within two years.
During those years, about him wrote Carlo Carrà:
Francesco Messina's sculpture is characterised by a simple and grandiose manner, by an idealistic and classic procedure, able to give life to forms which become "ideal images".
In the 1930s, Messina exhibited at important collective expos of Italian art in Barcelona, Berlin, Bern, Gothenburg, Munich, Oslo, Paris, São Paulo, Zurich, while executing various sculptures in many Italian cities. In 1936 he was appointed director of the Accademia di Brera, which position he will keep until 1944. His work was also part of the sculpture event in the art competition at the 1936 Summer Olympics.[
In 1938, Giorgio de Chirico in Rome and Salvatore Quasimodo in Turin presented two personal exhibitions of Messina's work. In 1942 he won the Sculpture Prize at the XXIII Biennale Internazionale d’arte of Venice, where he exhibited fifteen sculptures and seventeen drawings.
In 1943, Messina was appointed Academic Emeritus of Italy. On the collapse of the fascist regime, he was temporarily dismissed from the academy, only because he had been its director during the fascist period. However, by 1947 he had already regained his professorship. In the same period the artist took part in the Graphic & Sculpture Expo at Buenos Aires, in the Muller Gallery, achieve a noticeable success. In 1949 he exhibited at the 3rd Sculpture International held by the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, together with Marino Marini and Picasso.
Romantica, c. 1973 (Fondazione Cariplo)
In 1956 he participated with a personal exhibition at the XXVIII Biennale di Venezia. In 1963 he produced the great monument to Pope Pius XII for St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, as well as the bust of Pietro Mascagni for the Teatro alla Scala. In the same year he was awarded the Michelangelo Prize for Sculpture in Florence.
In 1966 Messina was commissioned by Italian RAI to create the Cavallo morente (Dying Horse...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
$2,660 Sale Price
30% Off
Gio Ponti Woman Sculpture in Terracotta
Attr.
By Gio Ponti
Located in Milano, IT
Rare terracotta sculpture attributed to the great designer Gio Ponti in the 1950s, fine Italian manufacture.
The sculpture is intended to be hung on the wall, as the back is flat.
...
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Terracotta
$953 Sale Price
20% Off
Selection of Large Abstract Wood Sculptures
Located in Atlanta, GA
Selection of large abstract wood sculptures, circa 1960s. From left to right, the sculptures measure 25.5"H x 4.75"W x 4.75"D, 32.5"H x 8"W x 3"D, 31"H x 9"W x 8"D, and 24"H x 9"W x ...
Category
1960s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble
$1,450 / item
Vintage Brussels Manneken Pis Souvenir Statue, Belgium 1960s Grand Tour
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A 1960s souvenir building architectural model. Some wear with a nice patina, but this is old-age. Made of metal. A beautiful nice desktop item or just a display item in your collecti...
Category
1960s Belgian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal
CERTIFIED 4, 531 Cts Colombian Emerald Sculptural Carving Of a Horse Figure
Located in Miami, FL
Standing horse figure carved from natural Colombian emerald.
This is a fabulous sculptural figure carved in one single piece of natural Colombian emerald, depicting a standing horse...
Category
1970s Colombian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Multi-gemstone
$11,188 Sale Price
20% Off
Buddha, Italy 1950s
Located in Catania, IT
Beautiful bronze sculpture in depicting a sitting Buddha on a wooden base, in great vintage condition
Italy 1950s
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
$1,560
Porcelain Statue of a Woman, Royal Dux, 1960s
By Royal Dux
Located in Praha, CZ
- Made in Czechoslovakia
- Maker: Royal Dux
- Good, original condition.
Category
1960s Czech Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
Eugene Gauss Mid Century Figural Carved Red Stone Picasso Style Wall Sculpture
By Eugene Gauss
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Eugene Gauss (American, 1905-1988) Mid Century Figural Carved Solid Red Stone Picasso Style Wall Art Sculpture (Approx 20 lbs). Circa Late 20th Century. Measurements: 21.5" H...
Category
Late 20th Century Unknown Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Fulvio Bianconi Limited Nude Murano glass Sculpture Venini 1993 Number 5 of 29
Located in Ann Arbor, MI
Fulvio Bianconi Limited Nude Murano glass Sculpture Venini 1993 Number 5 of 29. The sculpture is created in a black glass with iridescent finish with blue sculptural vase...
Category
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Blown Glass
Art Deco Hagenauer Werkstätte Reclining Nude Woman Bronze Sculpture - 1930´s
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Art Deco Hagenauer Werkstätte Reclining Nude Sculpture
Bronze sculpture of a reclining figure. The figure is depicted in a relaxed pose, with...
Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
$6,800 Sale Price
20% Off
Japanese Porcelain Sculpture of a Geisha
Located in Antwerp, BE
Japanese porcelain sculpture of a Geisha, signed Lavorazione.
Width:34 cm.
Height:30 cm.
Depth:28 cm.
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
Mid-Century Modern Gilt Brass Decorative Pineapple Sculpture/Newel Post, Italy
Located in North Miami, FL
Mid-20th century Modern gilt brass decorative pineapple sculpture/newel post, Italy
By: unknown
Material: metal, copper, zinc
Technique: cast, molded, polished, gilt, metalwork
Dime...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal, Brass, Copper, Zinc
Dahl Jensen Danish Porcelain Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
Stunning 1950s Danish porcelain sculpture by Jens Jacob Bregno for Dahl Jensen.
Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
Hand-Carved Wood Sculpture by Jose Pinal, Mid-Century Modern, Mexico
By Jose Pinal
Located in Round Top, TX
Powerful wood carving of a peasant farmer by celebrated Mexican artist José Pinal (1913–1983). Known for his expressive, modernist approach to figuration, Pinal's work often centers ...
Category
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Sculpture Sandstone Carved Figurative The Thinker
Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK
The Thinker
Mid-Century Modern, sandstone sculpture depicting a seated man, artist unknown
This Mid-Century Modern interpretation of The Thinker interprets the pain, release and liberation associated with free-thinking. The man conveys vulnerability, tenderness and acceptance, his body yielding into the support of the chair creating a sense of rest and peace.
Provenance: Private Collection acquired from The Hidden Gallery, Scotland
Measures: Height 50cm.,20" Length 33cm., 15" Depth 22cm., 81/2"
The Thinker - Auguste Rodin (1840 -1917). Cast made by Fonderie Alexis Rudier in 1904. Transfered to the musée Rodin in 1922.
When conceived in 1880 in its original size (approx. 70 cm) as the crowning element of The Gates of Hell, seated on the tympanum, The Thinker was entitled The Poet. He represented Dante, author of the Divine Comedy which had inspired The Gates, leaning forward to observe the circles of Hell, while meditating on his work. The Thinker was therefore initially both a being with a tortured body, almost a damned soul, and a free-thinking man, determined to transcend his suffering through poetry. The pose of this figure owes much to Carpeaux’s Ugolino (1861) and to the seated portrait of Lorenzo de’ Medici carved by Michelangelo (1526-31). While remaining in place on the monumental Gates...
Category
20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Sandstone
"Female Head, " Fabulous Mid Century Lucite Sculpture by Susan Bush
By Susan Bush
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A remarkable and rare work by Susan Bush from the 1970s, this piece, to quote the artist, "is very archetypal and the carved forms of the head and hair are ...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Lucite
$4,320 Sale Price
20% Off
Vintage Pocket change dish
Located in Seattle, WA
Remnants of the name “ NORMAN” on the Dish. Vintage condition as pictured. Box H3
Dimensions. 5.50” W ; 5” D ; 0.50” H
Category
1970s Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Baccarat Signed Crystal Christmas Story Set of Three Angels, France
By Baccarat
Located in Rijssen, NL
Luxury at its finest, A collector’s item made by Baccarat in France.
This beautiful Baccarat crystal set depicts the timeless story of Christmas in radiant detail. Each figure is c...
Category
1970s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Crystal
Mid-Century Reconstituted Stone Venus de Milo Sculpture, 1950s
Located in Madrid, ES
A striking mid-century interpretation of the iconic Venus de Milo, crafted in reconstituted stone during the 1950s. This piece beautifully captures the timeless elegance and classica...
Category
Mid-20th Century Spanish Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Stone
Carved Ebony Root Wood Figural Dancer Mounted Sculpture
Located in North Miami, FL
Alexandre Noll style abstract female nude figural sculpture mounted on Lucite square base. Although this piece is not signed or dated, it is very much of the style and simplicity of...
Category
1980s French Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Acrylic, Ebony
Mario Dal Fabbro Sculpture
Located in Chicago, IL
Mario Dal Fabbro sculpture no. 24
Signed, 1976. Nodding head. C.6
Multi-disciplinary artist Mario Dal Fabbro was born in Cappella Maggiore, Italy in 1913. He trained in his family's furniture design shop prior to attending both the R. Superior Institute for Decorative and Industrial Arts in Venice as well as Magistero Artistico, graduating with high honours in 1937.
From the years of 1938-1948 Dal Fabbro immersed himself in furniture design and academia. Primarily, he designed furniture for both design houses and private clients. Del Fabbro participated in the Triennale de Milano competition in both 1939 and 1947 and won the Ganzatti Contest for 'Standardization of Furniture". During this period he also contributed to the Italian design publications Domus and Stile and the French magazine L'Architecture D'Aujourd'hui.
In 1948 Mario Dal Fabbro immigrated to America and began designing furniture for mass production, working for J.G. Furniture in New York and Quakertown, PA. During his years steady employ, he published Modern Furniture: Its Design And Construction in 1949 and contributed regularly to The New York Times and House and Garden. His subsequent publications spanned a little over the decade and included How to Build Modern Furniture (1951), How to Make Built-In Furniture (1955) and How to Make Children's Furniture and Play Equipment...
Category
1970s American Vintage Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Wood
$12,600
John W. Mills (1933-2023) ’Tackle! American Footballers
Sculpture
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A reclaimed patinated resin figural sculpture titled ’Tackle! American Footballers’ by the acclaimed British sculptor, John W. Mills.
This three-dimensional dynamic maquette creat...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary English Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Resin
Pair of figurines Arlecchino and Arlecchina by Fulvio Bianconi, Venini Murano
Located in Uccle, BE
Pair of figurines Arlecchino and Arlecchina by Fulvio Bianconi, Venini Murano Italy (Founded in 1921).
The pair of figurines Arlecchino and Arlecchin...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Art Glass
John W. Mills (1933-2023) Artist
s Maquette of a Dancing Couple
By John Mills
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A large freestanding sculpture depicting a dancing couple; an original resin maquette made by acclaimed artist, John W. Mills, for his ‘Harlequinade’ series.
Just one of various res...
Category
Late 20th Century English Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Resin
Michel Chauvet, Méditerranée, Modern Sculpture, France, 1949
Located in New York, NY
This plaster sculpture by Michel Chauvet, the notable midcentury French artist, captures the grace of the human form in motion.
Unique piece. Monogrammed: M. CHT.
Category
Mid-20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Metal
Solid Brass with Patina
d Accents Zebra and Donkey Pair, Walter Bosse Style
Located in Ferndale, MI
Solid brass with patina'd accents zebra and donkey pair, Walter Bosse style and/or Herta Baller. Herta worked for Bosse until he fled to Germany. Herta took over the company and desi...
Category
Mid-20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Brass
Mid-century Modern figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Mid-Century Modern figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage figurative sculptures created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, ceramic and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Mid-Century Modern figurative sculptures made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original figurative sculptures, popular names associated with this style include Werkstätte Carl Auböck, Archimede Seguso, Curtis Jeré, and Jihokera. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for figurative sculptures differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $40 and tops out at $225,000 while the average work can sell for $1,200.
Still Thinking About These?
All Recently ViewedMore Ways To Browse
15th Century Angel
1880s Bronze Sculptures
1960s Mannequin
African Bronze Figure
Alabaster Head Sculpture
Alabaster Plinth
Alexandra Feodorovna
Andrea Del Verrocchio
Antique German Gnomes
Antique Military Hats
Aphrodite Marble
Ariadne Bronze
Art Deco Guerbe
Artist Figure Wood
Artist Lay Figure
Austrian Erotic Bronze
Aztec Sculpture
Basalt Sculpture Of Wedgwood