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Paul MaxwellPaul Maxwell Rare Sand Cast Bronze & Wood Brutalist Totem Sculpture 19671967
1967
$25,000
£18,671.07
€21,665
CA$34,625.18
A$38,814.54
CHF 20,240.91
MX$475,771.58
NOK 256,486.27
SEK 243,849.56
DKK 161,648.99
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About the Item
Paul Maxwell Rare Sand Cast Bronze & Wood Brutalist Totem Sculpture (1967, Commissioned)
A striking and rare example of Paul Maxwell’s early sculptural work, this monumental totem was specially commissioned in 1967 for a private residence in Texas by a pair of prominent art collectors. Known for his distinctive exploration of texture, surface, and abstraction, Maxwell here combines sand-cast bronze and richly grained wood in a seamless fusion of elemental materials and formal poise.
With its vertical rhythm and anthropomorphic gesture, this one-of-a-kind totem channels mid-century modernism’s reverence for nature, and minimalist grandeur. The bronze—sand-cast and patinated to accentuate the artist’s deeply expressive surface vocabulary—interlocks with architectural wooden elements in a construction that feels both archaic and futuristic. Truly a pure masterpiece of the brutalist era.
* Date of Creation: 1967
* Materials: Sand-cast bronze and solid wood
* Origin: Texas, USA
* Provenance: Commissioned for a private residence by original collectors
* Condition: Very good vintage condition with light age-appropriate wear
* Dimensions: [Insert dimensions here]
Paul Maxwell’s sculptural pieces from this period are exceptionally scarce, especially in this scale. This totem is not only a powerful presence in any space—it also represents a pivotal moment in the artist’s evolution from painter and printmaker to full-scale object-maker.
BIO:
Paul E. Maxwell was a pioneering modern artist and sculptor whose creative identity emerged early in life. He earned a BA in Art from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, in 1950, followed by graduate studies at Claremont College in California. While at Claremont, he held his first museum exhibition in Stockton, California. In 1951, Maxwell’s work was featured at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art alongside renowned artists such as Picasso, Miró, and Matta—the same year he debuted his first commercial gallery show.
From 1955 to 1958, Maxwell taught at the Houston Museum of Art and the University of Houston. Between 1959 and 1961, he lectured and exhibited across Europe under the sponsorship of the U.S. Information Agency, while also maintaining a gallery in Switzerland. Throughout the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, Maxwell was based in Texas and Oklahoma, completing a number of public commissions—including a large wall sculpture for Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and a freestanding piece for the lobby of the Stark County Library in Canton, Ohio.
In the 1970s, he developed his signature stencil-casting technique, further expanding his artistic vocabulary. In 1985, his work was the subject of a 12-minute documentary produced by Carol Shroeder and aired on PBS. Titled Paul Maxwell: Lines/Horizons, the film earned both the American Film Festival's Red Ribbon Award for Best Short Documentary and the Mitchell Wilder Gold Medal from the Texas Association of Museums in 1986. He was also profiled in the 2007 short film Through a Veil of Knowledge: The Legacy of Paul Maxwell, directed by Richard Balin.
Maxwell exhibited widely throughout the United States as well as in England, France, Switzerland, Canada, and Australia. His work is held in numerous private and public collections. Paul Maxwell passed away on July 10, 2015, leaving behind a bold and visionary legacy in American modern art.
- Creator:
- Creation Year:1967
- Dimensions:Height: 8 in (20.32 cm)Width: 8 in (20.32 cm)Depth: 70 in (177.8 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:Average surface wear. Very well preserved. Always displayed indoors.
- Gallery Location:Dallas, TX
- Reference Number:Seller: SKU000021331stDibs: LU2854216585352
Paul Maxwell
Paul Maxwell was born in Frost Prairie, Arkansas, in 1925. When Maxwell was nine, the family moved to Bastrop, Louisiana, where he completed high school. Maxwell went on to graduate from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, in 1950 with a BA in art, followed by graduate work at Claremont College in California. Maxwell was a modern artist and sculptor who developed a technique for using stencils to create thickly textured and layered surfaces, as well as objects he patented as “stencil casting” but that later became known as “Maxwell Pochoir.” He was also known for creating the “Max Wall” in the West Atrium of the Dallas Apparel Mart; although demolished in 2006, it can be seen as a backdrop in the science-fiction movie Logan’s Run. His work is highly abstract and often consists of some kind of grid — a form that is non-hierarchical and illustrates a major theme of his work. Maxwell died in 2015.
(Biography provided by Reeves Antiques)About the Seller
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