Plaster Figurative Sculptures

Sculpture representing the goddess Diana by Danish sculptor Jens Jacob Bregno (1877–1946), executed in plaster around 1920. This is a highly unusual model by the artist, and possibly...

Waylande Gregory (1905-1971). Nude Reclining, ca. 1950's. Painted composite cast from original sculpted in 1930's. Casting sanctioned and approved by the artist during his lifetime in partnership with MPI, Museum Pieces Incorporated. Very few examples were produced and even fewer survive. Waylande Gregory was considered a major American sculptor during the 1930's, although he worked in ceramics, rather than in the more traditional bronze or marble. Exhibiting his ceramic works at such significant American venues for sculpture as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City and at the venerable Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, he also showed his ceramic sculptures at leading New York City galleries. Gregory was the first modern ceramist to create large scale ceramic sculptures, some measuring more than 70 inches in height. Similar to the technique developed by the ancient Etruscans, he fired his monumental ceramic sculptures only once. Gregory was born in 1905 in Baxter Springs, Kansas and was something of a prodigy. Growing up on a ranch near a Cherokee reservation, Gregory first became interested in ceramics as a child during a native American burial that he had witnessed. He was also musically inclined. In fact, his mother had been a concert pianist and had given her son lessons. At eleven, he was enrolled as a student at the Kansas State Teacher's College, where he studied carpentry and crafts, including ceramics. Gregory's early development as a sculptor was shaped by the encouragement and instruction of Lorado Taft, who was considered both a major American sculptor as well as a leading American sculpture instructor. In fact, Taft's earlier students included such significant sculptors as Bessie Potter Vonnoh and Janet Scudder. But, Taft and his students had primarily worked in bronze or stone, not in clay; and, Gregory's earliest sculptural works were also not in ceramics. In 1924, Gregory moved to Chicago where he caught the attention of Taft. Gregory was invited by Taft to study with him privately for 18 months and to live and work with him at his famed "Midway Studios." The elegant studio was a complex of 13 rooms that overlooked a courtyard. Taft may have been responsible for getting the young man interested in creating large scale sculpture. However, by the 1920's, Taft's brand of academic sculpture was no longer considered progressive. Instead, Gregory was attracted to the latest trends appearing in the United States and Europe. In 1928 he visited Europe with Taft and other students. "Kid Gregory," as he was called, was soon hired by Guy Cowan, the founder of the Cowan Pottery in Cleveland, Ohio, to become the company's only full time employee. From 1928 to 1932, Gregory served as the chief designer and sculptor at the Cowan Pottery. Just as Gregory learned about the process of creating sculpture from Taft, he literally learned about ceramics from Cowan. Cowan was one of the first graduates of Alfred, the New York School of Clayworking and Ceramics. Alfred had one of the first programs in production pottery. Cowan may have known about pottery production, but he had limited sculptural skills, as he was lacking training in sculpture. The focus of the Cowan Pottery would be on limited edition, table top or mantle sculptures. Two of the most successful of these were Gregory's Nautch Dancer, and his Burlesque Dancer. He based both sculptures on the dancing of Gilda Gray, a Ziegfield Follies girl. Gilda Gray was of Polish origin and came to the United States as a child. By 1922, she would become one of the most popular stars in the Follies. After losing her assets in the stock market crash of 1929, she accepted other bookings outside of New York, including Cleveland, which was where Gregory first saw her onstage. She allowed Gregory to make sketches of her performances from the wings of the theatre. She explained to Gregory, "I'm too restless to pose." Gray became noted for her nautch dance, an East Indian folk dance. A nautch is a tight, fitted dress that would curl at the bottom and act like a hoop. This sculpture does not focus on Gray's face at all, but is more of a portrait of her nautch dance. It is very curvilinear, really made of a series of arches that connect in a most feminine way. Gregory created his Burlesque Dancer at about the same time as Nautch Dancer. As with the Nautch Dancer, he focused on the movements of the body rather than on a facial portrait of Gray. Although Gregory never revealed the identity of his model for Burlesque Dancer, a clue to her identity is revealed in the sculpture's earlier title, Shimmy Dance. The dancer who was credited for creating the shimmy dance was also Gilda Gray. According to dance legend, Gray introduced the shimmy when she sang the Star Spangled Banner and forgot some of the lyrics, so, in her embarrassment, started shaking her shoulders and hips but she did not move her legs. Such movement seems to relate to the Burlesque Dancer sculpture, where repeated triangular forms extend from the upper torso and hips. This rapid movement suggests the influence of Italian Futurism, as well as the planar motion of Alexander Archipenko, a sculptor whom Gregory much admired. The Cowan Pottery was a victim of the great depression, and in 1932, Gregory changed careers as a sculptor in the ceramics industry to that of an instructor at the Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Cranbrook was perhaps the most prestigious place to study modern design in America. Its faculty included the architect Eliel Saarinen and sculptor Carl Milles. Although Gregory was only at Cranbrook for one and one half years, he created some of his finest works there, including his Kansas Madonna. But, after arriving at Cranbrook, the Gregory's had to face emerging financial pressures. Although Gregory and his wife were provided with complimentary lodgings, all other income had to stem from the sale of artworks and tuition from students that he, himself, had to solicit. Gregory had many people assisting him with production methods at the Cowan Pottery, but now worked largely by himself. And although he still used molds, especially in creating porcelain works, many of his major new sculptures would be unique and sculpted by hand, as is true of Kansas Madonna. The scale of Gregory's works were getting notably larger at Cranbrook than at Cowan. Gregory left the surface of Kansas Madonna totally unglazed. Although some might object to using a religious title to depict a horse nursing its colt, it was considered one of Gregory's most successful works. In fact, it had a whole color page illustration in an article about ceramic sculpture titled, "The Art with the Inferiority Complex," Fortune Magazine, December, 1937. The article notes the sculpture was romantic and expressive and the sculpture was priced at $1,500.00; the most expensive sculpture...

Antique Grand Tour Plaster Cast after Antonio Canova – Life-Size Figural Group This impressive, life-size antique plaster cast represents one of t...

A finely sculpted dark bronzed wall relief plaster sculpture of Virgin Mary by Arvid Knöppel, signed and dated 1921. An unusual subject of his...

Mid 20th Century sgraffito work on plaster by Jean Pierre de Cayeux. The work is signed and dated on the skirt of the card player, bottom right, and on the stretcher of the chair, bo...

Pair of scagliola sculptures - Roman figures. Italian manufacture, 19th century. 51 x 26 x h 118 cm (left) - 41 x 28 x h 118 cm (right). Made entirely of scagliola. Depicting two f...

Frederick William MacMonnies (American, 1863-1937) Model Study for Truth, c. 1910-14 Painted plaster 16.5 x 9.25 x 7.5 inches For the 1920 sculpture for the New York Public Library ...

Thelma Frazier Winter (American, 1903-1977) Woman and Child, c. 1935 Glazed stoneware, painted plaster 14 x 7 x 5.875 inches Thelma Frazier Wint...

Alain Gourdon dit ASLAN ( 1930 -2014 ) " Initial BB " Buste de Brigitte Bardot en Marianne par Aslan . dédicace signée de Brigitte Bardot avec une marguerite . ( Don de BRIGIT...

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This work encapsulates Zura's deep exploration of the human form, rendered with raw immediacy and emotional resonance. The sculpture’s sensuous curves and rough, tactile surface invi...

William Zorach (American, 1887-1966) Seated Woman Painted plaster Inscribed underside "V" 12.5 x 9 x 5 inches Provenance: The Tatti Family Collection Bill Zorach was born in Lithuan...

a very fine Model Sculpture of a standing horse , finely rendered in patinated plaster, signed ‘MMM’ and dated 30 , w. rich burnished patina. Its quality and elegance are reminiscent...

Zura – Life‑Size Female Figure (2023), Plaster Dimensions: 39 × 16 × 12 in │ 99 × 41 × 30 cm Medium: Hand-modeled plaster (also available in bronze) Signature: Hand-signed by the art...

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...

Cephalophore is a unique smoke-fired stoneware, resin, plaster and clay sculpture by French contemporary artist Cécile Raynal, dimensions are 84 × 40 × 58 cm (33.0 × 15.7 × 22.8 in)....

"Barge Toiler" by Max Kalish is a Mid 20th Century modern Depression-Era sculpture from his Labor series. The WPA era work is made of plaster. Max Kalish (1891 – 1945) Barge Toiler 12 x 8”x 4 inches Patinated plaster Signed and monogramed BIO Born in Poland March 1, 1891, figurative sculptor Max Kalish came to the United States in 1894, his family settling in Ohio. A talented youth, Kalish enrolled at the Cleveland Institute of Art as a fifteen-year-old, receiving a first-place award for modeling the figure during studies with Herman Matzen. Kalish went to New York City following graduation, studying with Isidore Konti and Herbert Adams...

"I Worry About My Kids" is an original piece byJedediah Morfit made from fiberglass reinforced plaster, mixed media, and paint.This piece measures 62"h x 40"w x 5"d and comes with a ...

Choir of beasts (Chœur de bêtes) is an installation by the contemporary French artist Cécile Raynal. The approximate dimensions refer to the sculptures as installed, as shown in the ...

Donkey is a unique smoke-fired stoneware, resin, plaster and clay sculpture by French contemporary artist Cécile Raynal, dimensions are 82 × 60 × 60 cm (32.2 × 23.6 × 23.6 in). This ...

Barn Owl is a unique smoke-fired stoneware, resin, plaster and clay sculpture by French contemporary artist Cécile Raynal, dimensions are 75 × 52 × 60 cm (29.5 × 20.4 × 23.6 in). Thi...

"Throughline" is an original piece by Jedediah Morfit made from sculpted plaster and covering in black paint featuring a portrait of a young man with abstracted motion in low relief,...

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...

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...

“Female Figure” (2023) by Zura is a life-size sculpture measuring 39 × 16 × 12 inches (99.1 × 40.6 × 30.5 cm), crafted in plaster with an option for bronze casting. This unique work ...

Daniel Arsham Future Relic no.3 (Clock), 2015 Plaster and broken glass comes with the original box some minor wear to the box. 14 × 12.7 × 6.4 cm Edition of 400 Daniel Arsham is a c...

An original work by Noche Crist (1909- 2004). Titled "Femme Fatale" and signed on reverse. Wonderful work made with cut wood, paint and plaster. Noche Crist imbued her cutouts with...

To see our other Modern British Art, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the artist you ...

"Mur" is part of an edition of 5 pieces. Mattia Listowski (b. 1987, Paris, France) is a French sculptor, draughtsman, and photographer with French, Italian, and Polish origins, comi...

Jean Cocteau ( 1889 - 1963 ) " Centurion " . " Unic work dadaist " circa 1928 . certifié par Madame Annie Guédras en décembre 2004 . ( certificat joint en photo )

Takashi Murakami Luxor and Kurage-bo (from Jellyfish Eyes) 2014: Rare limited edition Takashi Murakami art toy. This work was produced by Murakami in 2014 and features the playful, highly decorative Luxor and Kurage-bo characters from Jellyfish Eyes (a 2013 fantasy film directed by Takashi Murakami). Medium: 3D plaster...

Italian life-size plaster sculpture , figure of the Callipygian Venus, after the antique Roman marble statue. Aphrodite Kallipygos, or Callipygian Venus literally means “Venus of ...

A fine patinated plaster sculpture Albert Einstein mounted to a painted wooden base. The sculpture is signed illegibly and dated on the re...

Cracked Bear - Pink, 2019 Fabric, plaster, and pigment Edition of 500 + AP with a holographic label verifying its edition number and authenticity. 24.76 x 20 x 20 cm In mint conditio...

Taking its name from the seven-tablet Babylonian creation myth, Enūma Elish unfolds across sculpture, video, engraving, and performance — summoning ancient mythologies into contempor...

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...

Chidy Wayne (b. 1981, Spain) is an artist based in Barcelona. Over the years, he has established himself as a recognized figure in the art world, developing a personal artistic langu...

Badger is a unique smoke-fired stoneware, resin, plaster and clay sculpture by French contemporary artist Cécile Raynal, dimensions are 80 × 36 × 52 cm (31.5 × 14.1 × 20.4 in). This ...

Concieved in 1957, this edition started to be executed in 1988 IKB pigment and synthetic resin on plaster cast, in plexiglas, signed Rotraut Klein Moquay and numbered HC XXX/L on the base on a label affixed under the base. 300 editions numbered from “1/300” to “300/300″ 50 editions numbered from”HCI/L” à “HC L/L” H. 36 cm With the Plexiglas box: 41.5 x 29.5 x 29.5 cm Yves Klein is an influential French conceptual artist who works in a wide variety of fields. Arguably best known for his use of a very vibrant shade of blue, he began to create his monochrome series in the 1950s by developing and patenting his own signature shade known as IKB or International Klein Blue. Born April 28, 1928 in Nice, the artist founded the New Realism movement with the art critic Pierre Restany...

Important patinated plaster bust representing the Faun of Vienna. the original of which is in the collections of the Louvre museum (marble statue discovered in Vienna in 1820 and dat...

Elizabeth Jordan is an artist working primarily in sculpture and whose work uses multiple materials to produce unique, organic forms. In addition to a solo and group shows at Ivy Bro...

"Da sempre sono attratto dagli oggetti semplici, spesso dimenticati o fuori contesto. Riporto alla luce piccoli frammenti del quotidiano – giocattoli, gadget, elementi della cultura ...

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 ...

Da sempre sono attratto dagli oggetti semplici, spesso dimenticati o fuori contesto. Riporto alla luce piccoli frammenti del quotidiano – giocattoli, gadget, elementi della cultura p...

The Aurora-Rhoman Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Relics explains- "This is the most complete example of a Unicorn T-Rex Skull that has ever been discovered. During the Auroral...

2 Sculptures: "The Power" & "The Glory" WPA Depression WWII era mid 20th century by Agnes Yarnall circa 1940s. Sculptor, painter, poet and artistic historian, Agnes Yarnall has, since the age of six been breathing life into her art. Renowned as a sculptor, whose commissioned portrayals of contemporary celebrities are prized. She has sculpted Judith Anderson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Carl Sandburg...

This standing kinetic sculpture by Tal Nehoray is from her latest body of works and is made of 2 hand made sculptures: a heart and a brain that are mounted on metal base. Both sculpt...

Leonard Wells Volk was a famous American sculptor. He went to posterity after making one of only two life masks of United States President Abraham Lincoln. I...

Hare is a unique smoke-fired stoneware, resin, plaster and clay sculpture by French contemporary artist Cécile Raynal, dimensions are 84 × 30 × 52 cm (33 × 11.8 × 20.4 in). This scul...

A polychrome and gilt plaster statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The quality of the original gilding and the handling of the folds in the clothing are exceptional. A wonderful statu...

ZURA (Georgian-American, b. 1969) DEMNA BABIES, 2024 Mixed media H. 35 x W. 12 x D. 10 in. (89 x 30 x 25 cm) Clear acrylic plexiglass included Zura’s Demna Babies are edgy, mixed-me...

Elizabeth Jordan is an artist working primarily in sculpture and whose work uses multiple materials to produce unique, organic forms. In addition to a solo and group shows at Ivy Bro...

Life-Size Charioteer of Delphi — Museum-Quality Plaster Cast with Custom Bronze Patination After the Ancient Greek Original, c. 470 BCE This life-size plaster cast of the Charioteer ...

Elizabeth Jordan is an artist working primarily in sculpture and whose work uses multiple materials to produce unique, organic forms. In addition to a solo and group shows at Ivy Bro...

Elizabeth Jordan is an emerging artist working primarily in sculpture. Her work uses multiple materials to produce unique, organic forms. In early 2016, she participated in an exhibi...

Elizabeth Jordan is an artist working primarily in sculpture and whose work uses multiple materials to produce unique, organic forms. In addition to a solo and group shows at Ivy Bro...

Feline is a unique smoke-fired stoneware, resin, plaster and clay sculpture by French contemporary artist Cécile Raynal, dimensions are 78 × 35 × 60 cm (30.7 × 13.7 × 23.6 in). This ...

Pair of scagliola sculptures - Double-tailed winged sirens. Italy, 17th century. 60 x 45 x h 100 cm each. Made entirely of scagliola, these replicas are statues from a Baroque vill...

A unique piece: a hand modelled sculpture by French artist Jeannine Nathan (b.1924). Working in Paris, Jeannine was able to visit Picasso’s studio, and was impressed by the Master’s ...

Angel with the Lyre Jan and Joël MARTEL (1896-1966) Sculpture Original plaster Signed to the front of the base " J. Martel " France Model created for the Charbogne church (Ardennes...