Romanian sculptor Demetre Chiparus — who is sometimes referred to as Dumitru Chiparus or Dimitri Chiparus — was a renowned Art Deco-era artist most often associated with realism. He initially created sculptures that featured small children. As his work began to mature, he continued to create figurative sculptures but shifted his focus, and his output was marked by an appreciation for the lithe female form — a popular subject during the 1920s. Chiparus was later known for his animal sculptures, too.
Chiparus lived comfortably as an artist owing in part to his family fortune. At the age of 23, he moved to Italy and began his formal art and sculpting studies under Italian sculptor Raffaello Romanelli. Following his time in Italy, he moved to Paris where he attended L'École des Beaux-Arts. He studied under sculptors Antonin Mercie and Jean Boucher. He was inspired by the Russian Ballet, French theater and early motion pictures.
Though he wouldn’t sell many of his pieces during his lifetime, Chiparus was well known for his bright and colorful busts and sculptures featuring dancing ladies. He was equally inspired by the discovery of King Tut’s tomb — a common influence for designers and artists of the Art Deco era — which is obvious in his references to Egyptian themes in his decorative objects and other realist works.
Chiparus worked with a combination of ivory and bronze to create chryselephantine sculptures, a method and type of sculpture that was particularly popular during the Archaic period. The bases of his pieces were typically made of marble or onyx and he adorned his life-like subjects with vibrant enamel that lent a touch of whimsicality to his art.
Chiparus exhibited his works at the Salon of 1914 and lived in Paris until his death. A range of his sculptures is held in the permanent collection of the Museo Art Nouveau and Art Deco in Spain.
Find original Demetre Chiparus decorative objects, sculptures and other works on 1stDibs.
Demetre Chiparus, The Clown's Dream
By Demetre Chiparus
Located in Miami, FL
Demetre Chiparus The Clown's Dream, ca. 1930 Bronze and marble 29 in Signed "Chiparus" and "J. Gazan" Provenance: Estate of Arlene Winnick, Beverly Hills, California.
Marble, Bronze
Demetre Chiparus Egyptian Dancer
By Demetre Chiparus
Located in Miami, FL
Demetre Chiparus Egyptian Dancer, ca. 1920 Bronze, enamel, gilt metal, and marble 29 in Signed to base 'Chiparus'
Bronze
Oriental Dancer
By Demetre Chiparus
Located in Miami, FL
Oriental Dancer Cold-painted Bronze Figure, circa 1925 on a shaped marble plinth inset with bronze medallions 15 in high, signed to base 'Chiparus' Demetre Chiparus was a Romanian s...
Bronze
$220
H 7 in W 7 in D 0.75 in
Untitled "Marble Fragment 3" 2019, acrylic, landscape, wall sculpture, clouds
By Tom Banks 1
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Untitled "Marble Fragment 3" 2019, acrylic, landscape, wall sculpture, clouds, purple, blue
Marble
$3,320
H 18.51 in W 7.88 in D 9.85 in
Juggler / - Artistic naturalness -
Located in Berlin, DE
Claire Jeanne Robertine Colinet (1880 Brussels - 1950 Asnières-sur-Seine), Juggler, around 1920. Brownish patinated bronze with gilded balls on a round, multi-profiled stone base (10...
Bronze
$4,342
H 11.82 in W 5.52 in D 7.88 in
1920s Italian Art Decò Signed Bronze Sculpture Nude of Woman
By Gaetano Martinez
Located in Roma, IT
Wonderful Italian sculpture representing a seated maiden. The artwork rests on a square marble base Signed on the base “Gaetano Martinez Roma” According a written opinion by Prof. Al...
Marble, Bronze
$6,750
H 20 in W 4.25 in D 4.25 in
Pair of Porphyry Marble Columns with Gilt Bronze Capitals, 19th Century
Located in Beachwood, OH
Pair of Porphyry Marble Columns with Gilt Bronze Capitals, 19th Century Porphyry marble & gilt bronze 20 x 4.25 x 4.25 inches Porphyry is an igneous rock, not marble, known for its...
Marble, Bronze
$1,400
H 12.75 in W 17.75 in D 7.5 in
PAX (BETWEEN TIMES) - Geometric Sculpture Vintage Salvaged Building Materials
By Brian Jobe
Located in Signal Mountain, TN
Brian Russell Jobe (American, b. 1981) is an artist and non-profit director based in Knoxville, Tennessee. Jobe's studio practice is focused on sculptur...
Concrete, Marble
$7,500
H 5.5 in W 5 in D 5 in
Abstract Geometric, small abstract bronze, dark brown patina, life cast, marble
By Allan Houser
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Abstract Geometric, small abstract bronze, dark brown patina, life cast, marble limited edition Allan Houser (Haozous), Chiricahua Apache (1914-1994) Selec...
Marble, Bronze
$950
H 7 in W 7.5 in D 1.5 in
Three Girls Bronze Relief Sculpture Plaque Chaim Gross Modernist WPA Era Artist
By Chaim Gross
Located in Surfside, FL
Chaim Gross Three little girls, three Graces. 1981. Bronze sculptural relief plaque mounted to verdigris marble. signed and dated on marble Marble approx 7.5" x 7" x 1.5". Bronze: ...
Marble, Bronze
$18,000
H 45 in W 26 in D 14 in
Oh, by John Reeves, rotating, bronze, sculpture, shape shift, granite, edition
By John Reeves
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Oh, by John Reeves, rotating, bronze, sculpture, shape shift, granite, edition Oh, John Reeves rotating, bronze, sculpture, shape shift, granite, edition Oh, rotating bronze sculpt...
Granite, Bronze
$1,250
H 6.5 in W 7 in D 3.5 in
'Mammoth' by ArmanH; Sculpture in Clay, Bronze and Ivory, 2023
By Arman Hambardzumyan
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 6.5" x 7" x 3.5" sculpture was created by Yerevan, Armenia-based artist ArmanH in 2023. A mixed media sculpture, the mammoth is made of clay, bronze, stone and ivory. The sculpt...
Stone, Bronze
Charming French Art Deco Bronze Nude by F. Trinque, 1930
Located in Dallas, TX
French Art Deco bronze sitting nude by F. Trinque, 1930. A gorgeous Art Deco woman stretching her arms and drying her back with a towel possibly after a swim or bath with a rich gold...
Bronze
$4,500
H 8.2 in W 4.6 in D 2.75 in
Ferdinand Preiss Hoop Girl And Sonny Boy Painted Bronze Figures
By Ferdinand Preiss
Located in Dallas, TX
Ferdinand Preiss (German, 1882 - 1943) Hoop Girl & Sonny Boy Cold-painted bronze Circa 1930, Art Deco Period Dimensions: 8.18 Inches Tall x 4.65 Inches wide x 2.75 inches deep. ...
Marble, Bronze
Bust of a young woman / - Beauty of youth -
Located in Berlin, DE
Anonymous, Bust of a young woman, c. 1900, artificial marble and gray onyx marble. 37 cm (height) x 37 cm (width) x 22 cm (depth), weight 17.2 kg. Signed “GURRINI” on the reverse. -...
Marble
Sold
H 9.5 in W 14.75 in D 3 in
Antique French Art Deco Bronze Figural Group/Statue 1930's D. H. Chiparus
By Demetre Chiparus
Located in Portland, OR
Antique French Art Deco Bronze Figural Group/Statue, Demetre Haralamb Chiparus (1886-1947), 1930s. The bronze showing a whimsical scene of a ...
Marble, Bronze
woman
By Demetre Chiparus
Located in Nice, FR
A rare sculpture made of clay by Demeter Chiparus, representing a sit nude woman. Signed on the sculpture. On a wood basement. Demétre Haralamb Chiparus...
Clay
Wheat Art Deco by Demetre Chiparus
By Demetre Chiparus
Located in Miami, FL
Beautiful large work and it's very heavy. Bronze with green and gold patina. It is very heavy
Bronze