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.
Emile Gilioli, "Vers le jour" Original Hand-woven Tapestry in wool
By Émile Gilioli
Located in New York, NY
-Edition 2/5 -Manufactured by Atelier Raymond Picaud, Aubusson Vers le jour (Towards the Day)is distinguished by its strictly monochromatic palette, built entirely from variations o...
Wool
1960s "Les Nuits Et Les Jours" Tapestry by Emile Gilioli
By Émile Gilioli
Located in Paris, FR
Emile Gilioli Les nuits et les jours 1969 Tapisserie de lice Manufacture Nationale de Beauvais Signature : en bas à gauche MBN / en bas à droite Gilioli Les tapisseries de Gilioli se situent dans cette recherche de l’absolu, de la pureté, de la spiritualité qui marque toute son oeuvre. « D’abord j’aime la laine...
Wool
Emile Gilioli "The Fall of Icarus" - Original Hand-woven Tapestry in Wool
By Émile Gilioli
Located in New York, NY
"The fall of Icarus", Aubusson tapestry signed Emile Gilioli Gilioli - "Chute d'Icare" Material: Wool Year: 1966 Dimensions: 130 x 162 cm/ 4.2 x 5.3 ft Aubusson tapestry woven...
Wool
$1,156
H 26.38 in W 39.38 in D 0.79 in
Abstract Vibrant Wall Tapestry, Hand Knotted Wool, 1960s, Excellent
Located in London, GB
Colorful hand knotted wool hanging is probably a translation of the work of an artist. This was a time when modern artists work began to work with weavers...
Wool
$9,900
H 0.25 in W 96 in D 72 in
Vintage French Aubusson Tapestry, Hand-Woven Wool, Forest Scene, 72" x 96"
Located in Barrington, IL
A beautifully hand-woven French Aubusson tapestry in the style of 17th-century Verdure tapestries, created in 20th-century France. This timeless work of textile art features a serene nature scene, with birds perched on tree branches amidst a lush, tranquil forest. Woven in classic Verdure style, the tapestry showcases an exquisite palette of soft greens and blues, capturing the depth and serenity of the woodland landscape. The tapestry is backed with cloth and includes a sewn-in pocket for a display rod, making it ready for elegant hanging. The beautiful French Aubussion tapestry is stunning decorative piece that evokes the romantic charm and masterful craftsmanship of historic French weaving. Dimensions: 72" x 96" Date of Manufacture: Late 1900s Place of Origin: France Material: Wool Condition: Good The Persian Knot Gallery, SKU: 1974 Vintage Handwoven Tapestries, French Aubusson Tapestry, Aubusson Tapestry Pillows, European Embroidery,18th Century Antique French Tapestry, Large Wall Tapestry, Handwoven Tapestry, Modernist Tapestry, Mid Century Wall Tapestry, Antique Tapestry with Frame...
Wool
$825
H 51.19 in W 39.38 in D 0.2 in
Vintage French Wall Tapestry, Wine Harvest Scene by JP Paris Gobelin, 1960s
By JP Paris Panneaux Gobelins
Located in COLMAR, FR
This vintage French wall tapestry beautifully merges Renaissance-inspired imagery with the refined graphic style of the 1960s. Printed on thick woven cotton, it portrays a lively win...
Metal
Italian Mid Century Modern Tapestry circa 1960s
Located in Atlanta, GA
Italian Mid Century Modern Tapestry, Italy, circa 1960s. Abstract architectural design.
Fabric, Textile
$1,757
H 68.9 in W 34.65 in D 0.4 in
Hand printed wall tapestry by Jürgen Schöbel for Södahl, Denmark 1960s
By Södahl AS, Hans J. Schöbel
Located in ECHT, NL
Hand printed mid century wall tapestry. Designed by Jürgen Schöbel and manufactured by Södahl Denmark in the 1960s. The tapestry is made of 60% jute and 40% polyester. The colors ar...
Jute, Polyester
$15,920Sale Price|38% Off
H 106.7 in W 128.35 in D 0.24 in
18th Century Aubusson Tapestry Verdure, Hand-Woven Wool, France
By Aubusson Manufacture
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A luxurious 18th-century Aubusson tapestry, depicting a dog barking at fowl on a river, in a typically rural and architectural-themed landscape. Hand-woven in wool, in predominantly ...
Wool
Mid Century Wall Tapestry, Denmark, 1960s
By Ege Rya
Located in Praha, CZ
- Rare - Nice condition.
Wool
Woven Wool Tapestry in the Style of Evelyn Ackerman
By Evelyn Ackerman
Located in Kansas City, MO
Beautiful vintage modern wall hanging of an outdoor scene with people, animals, and trees in the styled of Evelyn Ackerman. Very good condi...
Wool
1950s Aubusson Tapestry, Hand-Woven Wool, Seascape Design, France
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine Aubusson 1950’s Tapestry designed by Simon Chaye and woven by Atelier Legoueix in Aubusson France - labeled, numbered and titled on back. Artistic ...
Wool
$3,470
H 62.21 in W 77.96 in D 0.79 in
Aubusson Pastoral Tapestry, Hand-Woven Wool, France, 19th Century
By Aubusson Manufacture
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
This beautiful French Aubusson tapestry, dating from the late 19th century, depicts a refined pastoral scene inspired by 18th century taste. The composition shows an elegant young wo...
Wool, Silk
$740Sale Price|20% Off
H 51.19 in W 33.47 in D 0.4 in
Design wool hand made mid century tapestry - 1960s
Located in Praha, CZ
- Czechoslovakia, 1960s, no later production - perfect condition - very interesting piece of wall decoration
Wool
Beautiful Wall MidCentury Wool Tapestry, Denmark, 1960s
By Ege Rya
Located in Praha, CZ
- rare and nice colored tapestry.
Wool
Sold
H 108.27 in W 91.74 in D 0.99 in
Unique XL artist tapestry by Émile Gilioli "Noir, rouge et Blanc", ca. 1970
By Ewald Kröner, Émile Gilioli
Located in Rotterdam, ZH
Unique artist tapestry by Émile Gilioli – "Noir, rouge et blanc", woven by Ewald Kröner, ca. 1970. An intriguing and rare abstract artwork, executed in a tufted woven wool tapestry i...
Wool