French sculptor Émile Gilioli crafted each piece to polished perfection. His smooth marble and bronze abstract sculptures feature reflective surfaces, graceful curves and sudden, sharp lines and angles. And while Gilioli was obsessed with refinement in his three-dimensional work, his abstract prints and watercolors reveal a looser, more expressive approach. No matter the chosen medium, his inner artist always shone through.
Gilioli was born in 1911 to a family of Italian shoemakers living in Paris. When he was three years old, his family moved back to Italy and settled in Mantua, where young Gilioli was eventually employed at the local forge. After World War I, his family moved back to France and Gilioli attended the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs and Beaux-Arts de Paris. He started working as a sculpture craftsman at 17 years old, and at 19, he joined the studio of Jean Boucher.
During World War II, Gilioli was stationed in Grenoble. There, he spent time at the Musée de Grenoble and was introduced to Cubism. Upon his return to Paris in 1945, he became one of the key figures in the city's burgeoning abstractionist movement. That same year, he held his first exhibition in Grenoble and also showed at two salons in Paris, in 1947 and ’49.
Gilioli eventually settled in the commune of Saint-Martin-de-la-Cluze, where he opened a sculpture atelier. Throughout the 1950s, he continued to pave the way for abstract sculpture in the country, frequently exhibiting with artists like Alicia Penalba, François Stahly and Étienne Martin. Throughout his long career, Gilioli designed many large sculptures for public spaces.
In 1997, to mark the 20-year anniversary of his death, the commune of Saint-Martin-de-la-Cluze purchased his workshop and home, turning the property into a museum to permanently display his creations.
Gilioli's sculptures and works on paper are held in museums in France and around the world, including the Musée de Grenoble, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Tate Gallery in London, the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
On 1stDibs, find Émile Gilioli prints, drawings, sculptures and more.
Nude of Woman - Drawing by Emile Gilioli - Mid 20th Century
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Roma, IT
Nude of woman is an original modern artwork realized in the half of 20th century by the french artist Emile Gilioli. Sanguine drawingon light brown paper. The artwork is hand signe...
Pencil
The Dove, Modern Lithograph by Emile Gilioli
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Long Island City, NY
An original hand-signed limited edition lithograph by famed sculptor Emile Gilioli. Edition of only 75. Émile Gilioli (b. Paris, 10 June 1911, d. Paris,...
Lithograph
Male Face - Handsigned drawing
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Paris, IDF
Emile GILIOLI Male Face Drawing on art paper Handsigned on bottom left 65 x 50.2 cm (25.5 x 19.6 in.) Good condition, slight tear on the right side
Pencil
Composition
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Paris, FR
Lithograph, 1962 Edition : III/X 56.00 cm. x 76.00 cm. 22.05 in. x 29.92 in. (paper) 50.00 cm. x 63.00 cm. 19.69 in. x 24.8 in. (image) Annoted "Epreuve artiste" Handsigned by the ...
Lithograph
Composition Black wing
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Paris, FR
Lithograph Handsigned by the artist in pencil and numbered 3/50 66.50 cm. x 52.00 cm. 26.18 in. x 20.47 in. (paper) 64.00 cm. x 50.00 cm. 25.2 in. x 19.69 in. (image) After the “Bl...
Lithograph
$30,497Sale Price|20% Off
Glacier
By Émile Gilioli
Located in PARIS, FR
"The Glacier" by Emile GILIOLI (1911-1977) "Perlino rosato" polished marble signed to underside "Gilioli" and dated "61" France 1961 height 27 cm width 29 cm depth 20 cm Provenance : World House Galleries, New York, 1962; Joseph H. Hirshhorn, New York, 1962-1966; Donation to the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington; Christie's, sold by order of the trustees of the Hirshhorn Museum, 1994. Biography : Émile Gilioli (1911-1977) was a French sculptor. He was one of the leaders of French post-war abstract sculpture, alongside Brancusi and Arp. Born into a family of Italian shoemakers living in Paris, they moved to Nice after the World War I. In 1932, Émile Gilioli took lessons at the School of Decorative Arts in Nice, notably with the future artist Marie Raymond...
Marble
Price Upon Request
Column, Unique Carved Marble and Stone Column Sculpture by Emile Gilioli
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Emile Gilioli, French (1911 - 1977) Title: Column Year: circa 1960 Medium: Carved and Painted Marble on Marble Base, Signature Incised Verso Size: 65.5 in. x 31 in. x 8 in. (...
Marble
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
H 21 in W 18 in D 1 in
"Untitled 28" (FRAMED) Pencil Drawing 21" x 18" inch by Antonio Pelayo
By Antonio Pelayo
Located in Culver City, CA
"Untitled 28" (FRAMED) Pencil Drawing 21" x 18" inch by Antonio Pelayo Size unframed: 15.5" x 13.5 inch Medium: Pencil on Paper Artist Antonio Pelayo, born in Glendale, California...
Paper, Pencil
$3,575Sale Price|35% Off
H 9 in W 7.75 in
Maternity with Centaur (M.195) by Marc Chagall *Colorful Lithograph*
By Marc Chagall
Located in Santa Monica, CA
"Maternity with Centaur (M.195)" is a lithograph on Arches created by Marc Chagall . Printed in Paris by the renowned master printers Atelier Mourlot Frères, it was published by Édit...
Lithograph
MB 702 (Contemporary Life Drawing of Male Nude by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
MB 702 (Contemporary Life Drawing of Male Nude by Mark Beard) graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper 30 x 19 inches unframed Con...
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$1,500
H 19.75 in W 16.5 in
Kiki Smith Lithograph/Collage Various Flying Creatures "bee" Signed Dated
By Kiki Smith
Located in Detroit, MI
A collage lithograph from her series Various Flying Creatures by Kiki Smith titled: "bee." Smith has used one of her animal/insect iconic figures for this glassine paper and wove pap...
Paper, Lithograph
$975Sale Price|50% Off
H 10.5 in W 11.625 in
LA PARADE - Color Etching and Aquatint, Modern, Signed, Circa 1932
By Georges Rouault
Located in Santa Monica, CA
GEORGES ROUAULT (1871 – 1958) La PARADE 1932 (CR.203, W.211) color etching and aquatint 1932. Edition 270. Frontispiece from “Cirque”. Signed in plate as i...
Etching, Color Pencil, Aquatint
Composition 1996
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Composition 1996 Silkscreen in colors on Arches paper 21.7 x 29.5 in (55 x 75 cm) Editioned upper left and signed upper right Edition of 99 Jesús Rafael Soto was born on June 5, 19...
Lithograph
Emilio Vedova - Original Lithograph
By Emilio Vedova
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Emilio Vedova - Original Lithograph Abstraction 1961 From the art revue XXe Siecle Dimensions: 32 x 24 Edition: G. di San Lazzaro. Unsigned and unumbered as issued
Lithograph
$12,000
H 31 in W 39.25 in
"Lion Tamer" framed signed lithograph by Alexander Calder. Edition EA of 100.
By Alexander Calder
Located in Boca Raton, FL
"Lion Tamer" lithograph by Alexander Calder. Hand-lettered EA in lower left front corner. Hand-signed Calder in lower right front corner. From an ed...
Lithograph
$20,181
H 44.49 in W 7.88 in D 7.09 in
Earth - British Sculptor, Abstract, Marble, Italian Carrara, Philosophy, Figure
By Ian Thomson
Located in Knowle Lane, Cranleigh
Earth by British sculptor Ian Thomson. Thomson's travels have provided inspiration for his work. He holds degrees in Architecture and Philosophy & describe...
Marble
$1,650
H 29.75 in W 21.75 in
MB 827 (Contemporary Life Drawing of Two Nude Males by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic life drawing of two nude males with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard, "MB 827" graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper 29.75 x 21.75 inches unframed Signed, l...
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$1,650
H 30 in W 21 in
MB 824 (Double-Sided Figure Drawing of Handsome Nude Men by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Figurative, academic style life drawing of male nude with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard, "MB 824" graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper 30.5 x 21 inches unframed ...
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$480Sale Price|20% Off
H 39 in W 27.5 in
SLICED VENUS - original large art by Paula Craioveanu 30x27in Neo Mythology
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
Sliced Venus. Original art, signed 100x70cm / 30x27in, ink, graphite, tempera on paper. large size, shipped rolled in a tube Drawing has on the back 2 white wood sticks, and it's rea...
Tempera, Pencil, Ink, Archival Paper
Composition
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Paris, FR
Lithograph, ca1975 Handsigned by the artist in pencil and numbered 3/50 52.00 cm. x 66.50 cm. 20.47 in. x 26.18 in. (paper) 50.00 cm. x 64.00 cm. 19.69 in. x 25.2 in. (image) Based...
Lithograph
No title
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Paris, FR
Lithograph Handsigned by the artist in pencil and numbered 3/50 66.50 cm. x 52.00 cm. 26.18 in. x 20.47 in. (paper) 64.00 cm. x 50.00 cm. 25.2 in. x 19.69 in. (image) Gilioli reve...
Lithograph
No title
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Paris, FR
Lithograph Handsigned by the artist in pencil Edition : 3/50 52.00 cm. x 66.50 cm. 20.47 in. x 26.18 in. (paper) 50.00 cm. x 64.00 cm. 19.69 in. x 25.2 in. (image) This work by É...
Lithograph
Untitled
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Paris, FR
Lithograph Handsigned by the artist in pencil and numbered 48/60 40.00 cm. x 59.00 cm. 15.75 in. x 23.23 in. (paper) 28.00 cm. x 47.00 cm. 11.02 in. x 18.5 in. (image) In this small lithograph, the Italian cubist...
Lithograph
Untitled
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Paris, FR
Lithograph, circa 1965 Handsigned by the artist in pencil and numbered 50/50 This lithograph, one of the last by the Italian artist, presents an agitated composition that gives prid...
Lithograph
The Dove, Modern Lithograph by Emile Gilioli
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Long Island City, NY
An original hand-signed lithograph by famed sculptor Emile Gilioli. Émile Gilioli (b. Paris, 10 June 1911, d. Paris, 19 January 1977), was a French scul...
Lithograph