Jane Rosen Birds

Jane Rosen was born in New York City, where she grew up and began her career as an artist. Despite finding early success in galleries and a prestigious teaching position in the city, Rosen found herself captivated by the accessibility of nature on a visit to the West Coast. She eventually relocated permanently to San Gregorio, California, where she keeps her studio and resides on a horse ranch frequently visited by the birds you see in her work.

Rosen was recently selected by the American Academy of Arts and Letters for inclusion in their prestigious 2014 Annual Invitational in New York. She has taught at numerous elite institutions, including the School of Visual Arts and Bard College in New York, LaCoste School of the Arts in France, Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley.

Rosen’s work has been reviewed in the New York Times, ArtForum, Art in America and Art News. Her work has been exhibited across the United States and is in numerous public and private collections, including the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Aspen Art Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Chevron Corporation, the collection of Grace Borgenicht, JP Morgan Chase Bank, the Luso American Foundation, the Mallin Collection, the Mitsubishi Corporation, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego. She exhibits in galleries around the United States.

Find a collection of Jane Rosen art today on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by Traver Gallery)

The history of sculpture as we know it is believed to have origins in Ancient Greece, while small sculptural carvings are among the most common examples of prehistoric art. In short, sculpture as a fine art has been with us forever. A powerful three-dimensional means of creative expression, sculpture has long been most frequently associated with religion — consider the limestone Great Sphinx in Giza, Egypt — while the tradition of collecting sculpture, which has also been traced back to Greece as well as to China, far precedes the emergence of museums.

Technique and materials in sculpture have changed over time. Stone sculpture, which essentially began as images carved into cave walls, is as old as human civilization itself. The majority of surviving sculpted works from ancient cultures are stone. Traditionally, this material and pottery as well as metal — bronze in particular — were among the most common materials associated with this field of visual art. Artists have long sought new ways and materials in order to make sculptures and express their ideas. Material, after all, is the vehicle through which artists express themselves, or at least work out the problems knocking around in their heads. It also allows them to push the boundaries of form, subverting our expectations and upending convention. As an influential sculptor as much as he was a revolutionary painter and printmaker, Pablo Picasso worked with everything from wire to wood to bicycle seats.

If you are a lover of art and antiques or are thinking of bringing a work of sculpture into your home for the first time, there are several details to keep in mind. As with all other works of art, think about what you like. What speaks to you? Visit local galleries and museums. Take in works of public art and art fairs when you can and find out what kind of sculpture you like. When you’ve come to a decision about a specific work, try to find out all you can about the piece, and if you’re not buying from a sculptor directly, work with an art expert to confirm the work’s authenticity.

And when you bring your sculpture home, remember: No matter how big or small your new addition is, it will make a statement in your space. Large- and even medium-sized sculptures can be heavy, so hire some professional art handlers as necessary and find a good place in your home for your piece. Whether you’re installing a towering new figurative sculpture — a colorful character by KAWS or hyperreal work by Carole A. Feuerman, perhaps — or an abstract work by Won Lee, you’ll want the sculpture to be safe from being knocked over. (You’ll find that most sculptures should be displayed at eye level, while some large busts look best from below.)

On 1stDibs, find a broad range of exceptional sculptures for sale. Browse works by your favorite creator, style, period or other attribute.