Sculptor, furniture and jewelry designer, graphic artist and metalsmith, Harry Bertoia was one of the great cross-disciplinarians of 20th-century art and design and a central figure in American mid-century modernism. Among furniture aficionados, Bertoia is known for his chairs such as the wire-lattice Diamond chair (and its variants such as the tall-backed Bird chair) designed for Knoll Inc. and first released in 1952.
As an artist, he is revered for a style that was his alone. Bertoia’s metal sculptures are by turns expressive and austere, powerful and subtle, intimate in scale and monumental. All embody a tension between the intricacy and precision of Bertoia’s forms and the raw strength of his materials: steel, brass, bronze and copper.
Fortune seemed to guide Bertoia’s artistic development. Born in northeastern Italy, Bertoia immigrated to the United States at age 15, joining an older brother in Detroit. He studied drawing and metalworking in the gifted student program at Cass Technical High School. Recognition led to awards that culminated, in 1937, in a teaching scholarship to attend the Cranbrook Academy of Art in suburban Bloomfield Hills, one of the great crucibles of modernism in America.
At Cranbrook, Bertoia made friendships — with architect Eero Saarinen, designers Charles and Ray Eames and Florence Schust Knoll and others — that shaped the course of his life. He taught metalworking at the school, and when materials rationing during World War II limited the availability of metals, Bertoia focused on jewelry design. He also experimented with monotype printmaking, and 19 of his earliest efforts were bought by the Guggenheim Museum.
In 1943, he left Cranbrook to work in California with the Eameses, helping them develop their now-famed plywood furniture. (Bertoia received scant credit.) Late in that decade, Florence and Hans Knoll persuaded him to move east and join Knoll Inc. His chairs became and remain perennial bestsellers. Royalties allowed Bertoia to devote himself full-time to metal sculpture, a medium he began to explore in earnest in 1947.
By the early 1950s Bertoia was receiving commissions for large-scale works from architects — the first came via Saarinen — as he refined his aesthetic vocabulary into two distinct skeins. One comprises his “sounding sculptures” — gongs and “Sonambient” groupings of rods that strike together and chime when touched by hand or by the wind. The other genre encompasses Bertoia’s naturalistic works: abstract sculptures that suggest bushes, flower petals, leaves, dandelions or sprays of grass.
As you will see on these pages, Harry Bertoia was truly unique; his art and designs manifest a wholly singular combination of delicacy and strength.
Find vintage Harry Bertoia sculptures, armchairs, benches and other furniture and art on 1stDibs.
Untitled - Sculpture, Beryllium Copper and Brass, 1968
By Harry Bertoia
Located in London, GB
Harry Bertoia 1915 - 1978 Untitled, 1968 Beryllium Copper & Brass 11.4 x 11.4 cm 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 in Square base: 8.75 x 8.75 inches
Brass, Copper
Figurative Sculpture in Melt-Pressed Bronze, Contemporary, 1975
By Harry Bertoia
Located in London, GB
Harry Bertoia 1915 - 1978 A Figurative Sculpture, 1975 Melt-pressed bronze H: 24 cm H: 9½ in.
Bronze
Brutalist Abstract Nail Sculpture in the Style of Harry Bertoia
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
Brutalist Abstract Nail sculpture comprised of hundreds of hand welded flat nails with a rusticated patina. Would be great as a fireplace scree...
Steel
Wall sculpture: 'Maurizia'
By Terri Fraser
Located in New York, NY
As an artist, I am a storyteller wielding visual art as my medium. My creative journey is fueled by a relentless thirst for knowledge acquired through both hands-on experience and ke...
Copper, Wire
$1,900
H 7.75 in W 9.5 in D 3.25 in
Henge, sculpture by Kerry Green, copper, bronze, abstract, figures, metal sculpt
By Kerry Green
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Henge, sculpture by Kerry Green, copper, bronze, abstract, figures, metal sculpture Since childhood, Kerry Green has always been creative; painting, drawing, sculpting, and sewing. Her family provided her with materials and encouraged her efforts. She literally grew up in her parents’ art galleries, and with them toured the U.S., Europe, Mexico, Japan, and New Zealand, seeing museums and visiting artists’ studios. Growing up in Arizona and New Mexico gave her the opportunity to explore the Native reservations there where she has made life-long friendships. Several of her very early influences were Dr. Harry Wood...
Bronze, Copper
$165,527
H 95.28 in W 70.87 in D 17.72 in
Viga 1, 2, 3 & 4 by Tom Price - Abstract sculpture, wood, steel, resin, column
By Tom Price
Located in Paris, FR
Viga 1, 2, 3 & 4 is a group of sculptures by contemporary artist Tom Price. These sculptures are made of resin, tar, steel, wood. Overall dimensions are 242 × 180 × 45 cm (95.2 ×...
Steel
$6,102
H 28.75 in Dm 13.39 in
Close to Heart 1 & 2 - Wood sculpture by Zlata Kornilova
By Zlata Kornilova
Located in Paris, FR
Sculpture Close to Heart 1 & 2 Limited edition of 12 (each sculpture) Dimensions: - Close to heart 1 (black): H. 73. x D. 34 cm - Close to heart 2 (natural): H. 82. x D. 22 cm Medi...
Steel
$45,240
H 67.33 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Viga 3 by Tom Price - Abstract sculpture, wood, resin, synthetic, mineral, life
By Tom Price
Located in Paris, FR
Viga 3 is a sculpture by contemporary artist Tom Price. This sculpture is made of resin, tar, steel, wood, dimensions are 171 × 45 × 45 cm (67.3 × 17.7 × 17.7 in). The indicated dime...
Steel
$52,309
H 95.28 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Viga 4 by Tom Price - Abstract sculpture, wood, resin, synthetic, mineral, life
By Tom Price
Located in Paris, FR
Viga 4 is a sculpture by contemporary artist Tom Price. This sculpture is made of resin, tar, steel, wood, dimensions are 242 × 45 × 45 cm (95.3 × 17.7 × 17.7 in). The indicated dime...
Steel
$1,200
H 16 in W 12 in D 4.75 in
Elevate No. 4, artist-made wood and copper wall sculpture, floating shelf
By Huy Lam
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This work titled "Elevate No. 4" is an original artwork by Huy Lam made of burnt wood and copper inlay. The piece measures 16" x 12" x 4.75". The sculpture may be displayed in multip...
Copper
$1,200Sale Price|50% Off
H 14.5 in W 7.5 in D 6.5 in
After Botero - Standing Woman Bronze Sculpture
By Fernando Botero
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
This AFTER BOTERO sculpture is a very beautiful, faithful reproduction in the style of BOTERO'S work that has sold very well here on 1st Dibs. The edition is 50 in Roman numerals. ...
Marble, Bronze
Brutalist Wall Sculpture
Located in Milford, NH
A wonderful abstract brutalist welded and torch cut steel wall sculpture with many points and a burnished finish, by 20th century California artist Tony Melendy...
Metal, Steel
$77,756
H 40.16 in W 25.2 in D 34.65 in
Serendipity by Romain Langlois - Polished Bronze Sculpture, Golden
By Romain Langlois
Located in Paris, FR
Serendipity by the French contemporary artist Romain Langlois. Gold tone polished bronze sculpture: 102 cm × 64 cm × 88 cm. Edition of 8 + 4 A.P. This patinated bronze sculpture take...
Bronze
$96,135
H 17.72 in W 86.62 in D 27.56 in
Counterpart by Tom Price - Pair of Functional Sculptures (benches), Art & Design
By Tom Price
Located in Paris, FR
Counterpart is a sculpture by British contemporary artist Tom Price, it is composed by two elements each measuring 45 cm H x 220 cm L x 35 cm D ( 17.7 × 86.6 × 13,78 in). This artwo...
Steel
$2,061
H 12.21 in W 1.97 in D 3.94 in
Daniëlle - 21st Century Bronze Sculpture of a standing Young Girl
By Wim van der Kraan
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Daniëlle 50 x 13 x 10 cm Bronze The theme van der Kraan likes most is to show the growing of young girls. Living in their own world. Like this girl watching something she likes. The...
Bronze