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.
"Spray"
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A sculptor of kinetic objects, many of them with mazes of thin rods that appear brush like, Harry Bertoia was born in San Lorenzo, Italy, and came to America in 1930. In 1936, he stu...
Steel
Sonambient
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Italian-born American artist Harry Bertoia (1915-1978), is a noted sculptor and modern furniture designer. He is arguably one of the most successful creative forces hired by Florence...
Brass, Copper
Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)" is a Post-War abstract metal sculpture created by Harry Bertoia in circa 1970. This artwork is 103 x 16 x 16 inches and weighs less than 50 lbs. Ber...
Metal, Bronze, Copper
Willow Sculpture
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"Willow Sculpture" is an abstract Post War stainless steel sculpture by Harry Bertoia in c. 1970-79. The artwork is 61 1/2 x 39 x 39 in. Betroia's work creates a dynamic, flowing c...
Stainless Steel
Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)" is a Post-War abstract metal sculpture created by Harry Bertoia in circa 1970. The artwork is 103 x 16 x 16 inches and weighs less than 50 lbs. Bert...
Metal
$60,000Sale Price|52% Off
Untitled (Suspended Willow)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A sculpture by Harry Bertoia. "Untitled (Suspended Willow)" is an abstract, steel and steel wire sculpture by Post War artist Harry Bertoia. The willow form is one of Harry Bertoia's...
Steel, Wire
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
Harry Bertoia Melt Pressed Bronze Figural Sculpture, 1970s
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Dallas, TX
A figurative vertical form with two protrusions on top constructed of melt pressed bronze (heated numerous times, squeezed, and shaped. Includes provenance and hand-signed COA from t...
Bronze
Spray
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Miami, FL
TECHNICAL INFORMATION Harry Bertoia Spray 1979 (year completed) Steel wire, bronze 37 h x 13 dia in. Sold with a certificate of authenticity from the Harry Bertoia Foundation and a...
Bronze, Steel
$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
$6,423
H 39.38 in W 31.89 in
Moon by Frédérique Domergue - Abstract painting and wall sculpture, original
By Frédérique Domergue
Located in Paris, FR
Moon is a unique painting and wall sculpture by French contemporary artist Frédérique Domergue. This artwork is made with polished pink copper leaves on metal frame, dimensions are 1...
Metal, Bronze, Copper
$6,162
H 28.75 in Dm 13.39 in
Close to Heart 1 & 2 - Wood sculpture 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
$18,200
H 38.19 in W 3.15 in D 3.55 in
Bronze Sculpture 'Bolas IV' by Carola Eggeling, Bronze Patina
By Carola Eggeling
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze Sculpture 'Bolas IV' by Carola Eggeling Abstract sculpture with beautiful curved lines. German bronze sculpture Bronze Patina Certific...
Bronze
Garden Party - Mixed Media Sculptural Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kristina Fjellman, a Minnesota-based visual artist and performer, seamlessly blends sculpture and performance art in her captivating work. With exhib...
Steel, Wire
$16,396
H 60 in W 72 in D 6 in
Stunning wall installation of bright blue butterflies
By Paul Villinski
Located in London, GB
Paul Villinski is an American sculptor widely known for transforming littered cans from the city streets into large-scale, abstract installations of life-like butterflies. Over three...
Metal, Wire
$2,974
H 19.69 in W 18.9 in D 13.78 in
Minimal Biomorphic Abstract Sculpture in Hemp Fiber, Contemporary Organic Art
By Silvana Ilieva
Located in Sofia, BG
Minimal Biomorphic Abstract Sculpture in Hemp Fiber, Contemporary Organic Art By Silvana Ilieva This work was selected for the curated exhibition Artists in Focus at Sofia Art Fair...
Steel, Stainless Steel, Wire
$30,000
H 73 in W 32 in D 6 in
"Wall Strikes II" Abstract, Cast Metal Wall Sculpture by John Ruppert
By John Ruppert
Located in New York, NY
"Wall Strikes" by John Ruppert Cast bronze, Stainless Steel, Copper, Iron, from a fragment of a tree struck by lightning Edition of 3 Over the past 35 years, John Ruppert has been w...
Metal, Bronze, Copper, Stainless Steel, Iron
$26,500
H 49 in W 13 in D 8 in
Contemporary Cast Glass Sculpture, 'Geologic Editions #10, 2018 by David Ruth
By David Ruth
Located in Oakland, CA
Please allow a three month turnaround time for piece to be made. About the Geologic Editions: The Geologic Editions are studies for Colorado Cascade Mural. David pieced together bit...
Stainless Steel
$3,081
H 32.29 in Dm 8.67 in
Close to Heart 2 - Wood sculpture by Zlata Kornilova
Located in Paris, FR
Sculpture Close to Heart 2 Limited edition of 12 Mediums: old pine, steel, acrylic hand painted, oil CLOSE TO HEART - Collection Working on the series I used a “wood with history”...
Steel
Ivory Gold - Mixed Media Sculptural Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kristina Fjellman, a Minnesota-based visual artist and performer, seamlessly blends sculpture and performance art in her captivating work. With exhib...
Steel, Wire
$3,240
H 12 in W 12 in D 12 in
Fiber Sculpture: 'IMAGINATION'
By Federica Patera and Andrea Sbra Pereg
Located in New York, NY
Image, Imagination, Imitation: we can think these three words come from the roots √Im, but it’s not true. It’s necessary to combine the proposition in with mi, that is, √Mei, to obtain this kind of words. √Mei recalls something that catch the attention, that is intermittent and that can change. For the three following artworks we decided to decline the root starting from the concepts of light and sound, using a set of different languages, such as English, Russian, Sanskrit, Latin, Avestan, Greek and Persian, and to create shapes...
Steel, Wire
Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)" is a Post-War abstract sculpture created by Harry Bertoia in circa 1970. This artwork is 48 x 15.75 x 8 inches and weighs 45 lbs. Bertoia was enthra...
Metal
Untitled (SoundingSculpture)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)" is a Post-War abstract metal sculpture created by Harry Bertoia in circa 1970. This artwork is 56.25 x 10 x 10 inches and weighs 45 lbs. Bertoia was...
Metal
Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)" is a Post-War abstract metal sculpture created by Harry Bertoia in circa 1970s. This artwork is 77 x 11 x 11 inches and weighs 47 lbs. Bertoia was e...
Metal
Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)
By Harry Bertoia
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"Untitled (Sounding Sculpture)" is a Post-War abstract sculpture by Harry Bertoia in circa 1970. The artwork is 40.5 x 8 x 8 inches and weighs 15 lbs. Bertoia was enthralled by mus...
Stainless Steel