Skip to main content

Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

American, b. 1951

Donald Sultan is a distinguished painter, sculptor, and printmaker who rose to prominence in the late 1970s as part of the “New Image” movement in New York City.

Sultan has a unique artistic method and innovative approach to traditional subject matter. Known as Abstract Representation, Sultan’s paintings, prints and other art are characterized by the use of geometric black forms set against organic areas of bright color, thus bringing an abstract sensibility to his iconographic images of still life. Throughout his career he has revisited and reinvented still life, using images of lemons, poppies, playing cards, fruits, flowers, and other objects. Sultan’s lemons, a recurrent theme in his artworks, have in fact become an iconic image all over the world.

“All of the images of those dark pictures are really about the architecture in the paintings; they seem so massive and strong and permanent, but nothing is permanent,” Sultan has said. “The image in the front is very fragile, but it conveys the loaded meaning of everything that is contained in the painting.”

Sultan is considered to be at the forefront of contemporary art. Although his paintings are often classified as landscapes and still lifes, Sultan states that they are first and foremost abstracts. Besides paintings, drawings, and sculptures, he has created many editions. Sultan’s prints are unique: he uses specific materials like “flocking” to create expressive and powerful prints that are reminiscent of his forceful paintings. Since his first solo exhibition in 1977, Sultan’s artistic career has progressed rapidly; his works are part of the most prominent public and private collections to be found across the globe.

Find original Donald Sultan art on 1stDibs.

(Biography provided by Weng Contemporary — ArtXX AG)

to
3
8
2
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
10
9
5
3
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
9
6
2
1
221
125
100
94
88
7
3
Artist: Donald Sultan
Black Lantern Flowers
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Shaped aluminum with black powder coat on polished aluminum base. Edition 12/25.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Red Poppies - Contemporary, 21st Century, Sculpture, Poppies, Flower, Red
By Donald Sultan
Located in Zug, CH
Donald Sultan, Red Poppies Contemporary, 21st Century, Sculpture, Poppies, Flower, Red Painted aluminum on polished aluminum base Edition of 25 62 x 61 x 7.6 cm (24.5 x 24.2 x 3 in) Signed, dated, numbered, and titled, accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity In mint condition, as acquired from the publisher In the original packaging PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary from the one shown in the pictures. "Red Poppies" is a sculpture of painted aluminum on a polished aluminum base, belonging to Sultan’s famous Flower series. The artist is credited for the revival of the still life tradition where the image is deconstructed to the basic elements, thus Sultan’s work remains both abstract and representational. "Most of my ideas were to put imagery back into abstract painting. Some of the ones that look the most abstract are...
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Black Tulips and Vase, April 5 - Contemporary, 21st Century, Sculpture, Black
By Donald Sultan
Located in Zug, CH
Belonging to the famous Flower series, this sculpture is an abstract reinterpretation of still life tradition. Donald Sultan, Black Tulips and Vase, April 5 Black Tulips and Vase, A...
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Blue with yellow poppies
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Shaped aluminum with stainless steel centers, powder coated, mounted on polished stainless steel base. Sultan, an internationally recognized artist who rose to prominence in the lat...
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

White and Silver Poppies
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Sultan, an internationally recognized artist who rose to prominence in the late 1970s as part of the “New Image” movement, is known for elevating the still-life tradition through the...
Category

2010s Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Powder Coating

Aqua poppies
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Shaped aluminum with aqua powder coat on polished aluminum base.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Big blue poppies
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
¾ inch thick painted aluminum. Edition of 6. Comes with powder coat painted black aluminum base. A polished stainless steel base is available for an additional charge
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

White Tulips and Vase, April 4 - Contemporary, 21st Century, Sculpture
By Donald Sultan
Located in Zug, CH
Donald Sultan, White Tulips and Vase, April 4, 2014 Contemporary, 21st Century, Limited Edition Painted aluminum on polished aluminum base Edition of 25 61 x 50,8 x 8,9 cm (24 x 20 x 3.5 in.) Incised with the artists initials, titled and dated; accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity In mint condition, as acquired from the publisher in the original packaging PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary from the one shown in the images. White Tulips and Vase, April 4, 2014, belong to Sultan’s famous Flower series. The artist is credited for the revival of the still life tradition where the image is deconstructed to the basic elements, thus Sultan’s work remains both abstract and representational. One of the mainstays of making art is that you don't think of the new ideas, you discover them. "One of the mainstays of the making art is that you don't think of the new ideas, you discover them." — Donald Sultan White Tulips and Vase, April 4, 2014, represents Sultan's still-life, where the shape of the object is reduced to the bare essentials. The image reveals one of the key features of Sultan’s work - the material juxtaposition- the contrast of a weighty background with ethereal shapes of the flowers. The sculpture is made from painted aluminum on a polished aluminum base. The ephemeral shape of the flowers is gracefully combined with the weighty aluminum manifesting the synthesis of the natural and the industrial typical to Sultan´s work. The sculpture is incised with title, date, and artist initials, it is as well stamped with the edition number, publisher, and artist copyright stamp on the base verso. DONALD SULTAN Donald Sultan (born 1951, Asheville, US) is a distinguished painter, sculptor, and printmaker, who rose to prominence in the late 1970s as part of the “New Image” movement. He is best known for the use of abstracted, geometric black forms against organic areas of bright color. Donald Sultan (USA, born 1951) is a distinguished painter, sculptor, and printmaker, who rose to prominence in the late 1970s as part of the New Yorker “New Image” movement. He has a unique artistic method and innovative approach to traditional subject matter. Known as Abstract Representation, Donald Sultan´s art is characterized by the use of geometric black forms set against organic areas of bright color, thus bringing an abstract sensibility to his iconographic images of still life. Throughout his career he has revisited and reinvented still life, using images of lemons, poppies, playing cards, fruits, flowers, and other objects. Donald Sultan’s Lemons...
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Yellow Poppies
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Shaped aluminum with yellow powder coat on polished aluminum base. Edition 21/25.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Black Poppies
By Donald Sultan
Located in Fairfield, CT
Shaped aluminum with black powder coat on polished aluminum base. Edition 21/25.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

Related Items
Large Limited Edition Rusted Mild Steel Sculpture "Falling Down"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A life size, rusted mild steel sculpture on a steel footing. Edition of 7. Available in different colours or finishes on request.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Unique Lifesize Wall Mounted Steel Sculpture "Floating Legend"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A unique, life size wall mounted steel sculpture made of painted aluminium.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Small Unique Painted Steel Sculpture "He ain't Heavy"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A unique, medium sized powder coated steel sculpture on a steel base. Once-off, abstracted figurative artwork in pastel shades of pink and blue.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Limited Edition Kinetic Mild Steel Sculpture "Spiral Dog"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A limited edition, powder coated mild steel sculpture, capable of bouncing (see video). Edition 2/5. Available in different colours on request.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Large Limited Edition Powder Coated Mild Steel Sculpture "Returning from Mars"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A life size, powder coated mild steel sculpture on a steel footing. Edition of 4/7. Available in different colours or finishes on request.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Large Limited Edition Mild Steel Sculpture "Surprise Development"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A life size, powder coated mild steel sculpture, edition 4/5. Available in different colours on request. The piece is shipped dis-assembled (base and two m...
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Large Limited Edition Rusted Steel Wall Mounted Sculpture "Flasher"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A life size, rusted steel sculpture, edition 3/5. This sculpture is wall-mounted and is hung on a wall as a painting would be hung. It stands about 20mm away from the wall, creating...
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Limited Edition Nickel Plated Steel Sculpture "Self Portrait"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A limited edition nickel plated, reflective steel sculpture. Edition 5/7.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel, Stainless Steel

Limited Edition Medium Sized Rusted Steel Sculpture "Split Strider"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A medium sized, limited edition, abstracted figurative rusted steel sculpture on rusted steel base. Edition 1/3.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Unique Wall Mounted Brass Plated Steel Sculpture "Lost Dream"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A unique, mounted and framed brass plated steel sculpture. The dimensions of 32 x 32 cm are the dimensions of the outside of the frame.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel, Brass

Large Limited Edition Powder Coated Mild Steel Sculpture "Split Walker"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A life size, two-piece powder coated mild steel sculpture on steel footings. Edition of 7. Available in different colours or finishes on request.
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Limited Edition Mild Steel Sculpture "Rude Arm: Black"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A limited edition, black powder coated mild steel sculpture on a white steel base. The sculpture is typical to Uwe Pfaff's tongue in cheek approach, depictin...
Category

2010s Contemporary Donald Sultan Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

Donald Sultan figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Donald Sultan figurative sculptures available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Donald Sultan in metal, powder coating, steel and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Donald Sultan figurative sculptures, so small editions measuring 20 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Alex Katz, Christopher Schulz, and Deborah Ballard. Donald Sultan figurative sculptures prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $10,287 and tops out at $125,000, while the average work can sell for $18,000.

Recently Viewed

View All