Milton Hebald

Budding Grove

1994

Milton Hebald (1917 - 2015) is regarded as one of the most important American figurative sculptors of the 20th Century. Growing up in New York, at the age of ten, he was the youngest student ever to attend the Art Students League. He studied at the National Academy of Design and the Beaux-Arts Institute and in 1934 at just 17 years; Milton was honored to become a founding artist of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. His first one man show was held at the age of twenty. A prolific artist, prizes came one after the other. In 1955, he was awarded the prestigious "Prix de Rome" Fellowship to the American Academy in Rome. Over the next few years he received the "Prix de Rome" award two more times at which point he decided to make Italy his permanent home. With his wife Cecille Rosner, he built a beautiful villa on the hilly shores of Lake Bracciano (30 km north of Rome) as well as an expansive studio. There they lived, worked and entertained the most famous artists and celebrities of the era. Fifty years later in 2004, after producing a remarkable body of hundreds of sculptures and countless renderings, Milton returned to the U.S. and chose the renowned art community of Santa Fe, New Mexico as his new home. Milton relocated to Los Angeles, CA where he passed away in 2015. A master of anatomy, Hebald captures the movement of people celebrating life. His works in terra cotta, bronze and wood address the natural beauty of the figure. Often his sculptures depict light-hearted commentaries on the social scene or his own interpretations of mythological figures. In all instances the works are filled with an energy and vision which is unmoved by artistic fads or the critic’s opinion. Acclaimed as the spiritual heir of Auguste Rodin, Hebald’s works range in size from mere inches to his most famous work, the bronze Zodiac Signs, commissioned by the JFK International Airport in 1964 and spanning more than 220 feet. Milton Hebald’s works are prominently displayed in prestigious public installations worldwide (62 and counting) including Central Park, The Hague, Lincoln Center, United Nations Plaza, Los Angeles Olympic Park, etc.. His works are also included in the most esteemed private collections and major museums including the Whitney, MOMA, Guggenheim, Smithsonian, and many more.