Skip to main content

Louise Nevelson Sculptures

American, 1899-1988

Louise Nevelson was one of the leading American female sculptors of the 20th century, and she did it on her own terms. She was a pioneer of installation art and created large-scale monochromatic sculptures that are today known for their provocative, compartmentalized forms. While her assemblages involved a range of materials, she is best known for her wooden sculptures. Working in a single color was her signature, and all-encompassing color demanded an all-encompassing focus for this artist — she even kept separate studios for work in black, white and gold. 

Nevelson was born in what is now Ukraine in 1899 and emigrated to the United States with her family in 1905. She moved to New York City as a young woman in 1920 to study at the Art Students League. In the 1930s, Nevelson traveled around Europe, came into contact with the works of Picasso, studied with Hans Hofmann and assisted Diego Rivera in New York City. 

Nevelson had her first solo show in 1941 at the Nierendorf Gallery in New York. In the late 1940s, she studied with Stanley William Hayter and worked as a ceramicist in the workshop of revered furniture designer Vladimir Kagan, who let her take scraps from the factory to use in her sculptures. (As a child, Nevelson had also worked with discarded wood from her father's lumber yard.)

By the early 1950s, Nevelson had traveled to Guatemala and Mexico. She was inspired by pre-Columbian art and the totemic works of ancient cultures. Nevelson began creating the first of her iconic wood sculptures and later participated in the legendary “Sixteen Americans” exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Her work was acquired by prominent institutions in the years that followed. 

Nevelson made reliefs in shadow boxes and was for a time affiliated with New York City’s Sidney Janis Gallery as its first female Abstract Expressionist artist (her work was abstract but she also drew on the Cubist and Constructivist movements). In the early 1960s, Nevelson showed her art in Chicago, Manhattan, Paris and West Germany. It was around this time that she exhibited at Pace Gallery in Boston and New York. The gallery represented her for the duration of her career.

Nevelson died in 1988, but her legacy is immense. Her work is held in virtually every major American art museum, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art. Her permanent large-scale public sculptures are installed all over the country, including in Louise Nevelson Plaza in New York City's Financial District.

On 1stDibs, find original Louise Nevelson sculptures, prints and drawings.

to
2
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
3
2
2
1
3
1
55
212
175
157
128
1
1
Artist: Louise Nevelson
Tree of Life
Tree of Life

Tree of Life

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Caviar20 is excited to be offering this fantastic intimate sculpture by the legendary Louise Nevelson - one of the most revered and unique sculptors of the 20th century. Nevelson's ...

Category

1970s Abstract Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Paint

Untitled, Collage abstract expressionistic wooden collage, monochrome black

Untitled, Collage abstract expressionistic wooden collage, monochrome black

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Zug, CH

Nevelson’s compositions explore the relational possibilities of sculpture and space, summing up the objectification of the external world into a personal landscape. Although her prac...

Category

20th Century Abstract Expressionist Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood

SKY CASE XII
SKY CASE XII

SKY CASE XII

By Louise Nevelson

Located in New York, NY

wooden sculpture of found objects painted black. case with lid and hinges.

Category

1970s American Modern Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Related Items
"Smile 2.0" Abstract Sculpture, Textile & Wood, Handmade, 30x18 cm
"Smile 2.0" Abstract Sculpture, Textile & Wood, Handmade, 30x18 cm

"Smile 2.0" Abstract Sculpture, Textile & Wood, Handmade, 30x18 cm

By Olga Radionova

Located in Zofingen, AG

This series of sculptures is called Emotional States. It was created in 2023 in Kyiv (Ukraine). I lived and worked all year in my hometown in the middle of a Big war. I experienced a...

Category

2010s Abstract Expressionist Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Textile, Wood, Acrylic

The Gates (c), from the Project for Central Park

The Gates (c), from the Project for Central Park

By Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Located in New York, NY

This offset lithograph in colors from the Project for Central Park, New York City, was created by the artist in 2004. One of 300 hand-signed by the artist in pencil from an unnumbere...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Lithograph

Turnabout: Abstract Geometric 3D Wooden Wall Sculpture in Green, Grey & Beige
Turnabout: Abstract Geometric 3D Wooden Wall Sculpture in Green, Grey & Beige

Turnabout: Abstract Geometric 3D Wooden Wall Sculpture in Green, Grey & Beige

By Stephen Walling

Located in Hudson, NY

Abstract geometric three-dimensional wood wall sculpture in bright pastel hues of sage green, light grey, and beige "Turnabout", hand-carved wooden wall sculpture by Hudson Valley ar...

Category

2010s Abstract Geometric Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Dye, Acrylic, Wood Panel

Edward Arcenio Chavez Mid-Century Modern Bronze Abstract Sculpture
Edward Arcenio Chavez Mid-Century Modern Bronze Abstract Sculpture

Edward Arcenio Chavez Mid-Century Modern Bronze Abstract Sculpture

By Edward Arcenio Chavez

Located in Denver, CO

This abstract bronze sculpture by Edward Arcenio Chavez embodies the refined organic forms and sculptural experimentation that define mid-century American modernism. Cast in bronze a...

Category

20th Century American Modern Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Granite, Bronze

The Gates (e), Project for Central Park

The Gates (e), Project for Central Park

By Christo and Jeanne-Claude

Located in New York, NY

This offset lithograph in colors on wove paper from the Project for Central Park, New York City, was created by the artist in 2005. One of 300 hand-signed (in pencil) prints from an ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Lithograph

Eugene Caples "Bronze Sculpture II" Abstract Bronze Sculpture
Eugene Caples "Bronze Sculpture II" Abstract Bronze Sculpture

Eugene Caples "Bronze Sculpture II" Abstract Bronze Sculpture

By Eugene Caples

Located in Detroit, MI

This small exquisite "Bronze Sculpture II" is in excellent condition and a perfect example of Eugene Caples craftsmanship. This is mainly abstract with some graphic or architectural elements and is so delightful that mythical creatures demand to be considered. It cries out to be touched and held, looked at and caressed. The beautiful patina on the surface gives voice to the many hands that have done these things. Eugene Caples is a designer and craftsman who worked in Kansas City in the 1960s and later through the early 21st century. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute, earning his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Industrial Design in 1959. In 1963 he was accepted to Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The Cranbrook Academy of Art was designed by architect and faculty member, Eliel Saarinen who collaborated with Charles and Ray Eames on chair and furniture design. Numerous creative artists are alumni of Cranbrook and include: Harry Bertoia, Florence Knoll, Jack Lenor Larsen, Donald...

Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Piquant: Abstract Geometric 3D Wooden Wall Sculpture in Red, Pink, Peach, Maroon
Piquant: Abstract Geometric 3D Wooden Wall Sculpture in Red, Pink, Peach, Maroon

Piquant: Abstract Geometric 3D Wooden Wall Sculpture in Red, Pink, Peach, Maroon

By Stephen Walling

Located in Hudson, NY

Abstract geometric three-dimensional wood wall sculpture in bright hues of red, peach, pink, maroon, white and beige Piquant, hand-carved wooden wall sculpture by Hudson Valley artis...

Category

2010s Abstract Geometric Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Dye, Acrylic, Wood Panel

Ted Egri Taos Modernist Judaica Cubist Bronze Sculpture Rabbi & Torah WPA Artist
Ted Egri Taos Modernist Judaica Cubist Bronze Sculpture Rabbi & Torah WPA Artist

Ted Egri Taos Modernist Judaica Cubist Bronze Sculpture Rabbi & Torah WPA Artist

By Ted Egri

Located in Surfside, FL

Ted Egri (American, 1913-2010) Bronze sculpture Rabbi Signed Egri and numbered 4/30 on side. Dimensions: 12"L x 8.5"H x 6.75" D Born in New York city in 1913 to a Hungarian Jewish emigre family (both of his parents were born in Hungary), Egri was first exposed to music later dropping that for art. He studied with Howard Giles at the Master Institute of the Roerich Museum in New York where he was introduced to Oriental arts, Chinese and Japanese art forms, and later with Hans Hofmann. He worked for the Federal Arts Project, the WPA, making mural paintings and silkscreen prints as well as easel painting. Once WWII began, Egri signed up to serve as a map maker for the Navy, and was witness to some of the fiercest battles in the Pacific. As an artist, he painted many important depictions of his wartime experiences and these works have all be donated to the U.S. Naval Museum. Already a practicing painter and instructor at the Kansas City Art Institute, Ted Egri came to Taos, New Mexico with his wife Kit in 1950 to continue his study of painting at Ribak's Taos Valley Art School on the GI Bill. Louis Ribak quickly introduced Egri to Eulalia Emetaz, the owner of La Galleria Escondida, who gave him his first one-person show in 1951. A prolific and versatile artist, as well as arts organizer and advocate, Egri's contributions to underserved African American, Native American, Hispanic and women were honored by two Taos mayors, with no less than two Ted Egri days during his 50-year art career in Taos. Egri remained in Taos. He became widely known for his sculpture, influenced by cubism and painting, with his style ranging from abstract to realistic. Egri had incredible draftsmanship - charcoal, pencil, pastel, watercolor, oils, mixed media, pen and ink, acrylic, gouache Over time his work gradually shifted from its focus on human struggle to an exploration of natural elements and the changes that come about as a result of living in a physical environment like Taos. "The impact of the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range and the vast spaces of the mesas directed me toward space and form. I moved into sculpture," Egri said in a 1987 interview with ARTSPACE magazine. He was included in a show at Stables Gallery along with Emil Bisttram, Louis Catusco, Edward Corbett, Lawrence Calcagno, Keith Crown, Andrew Dasburg, John De...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Stelae (Abstract Geometric Wood Wall Sculpture in Grey & Dark Taupe)
Stelae (Abstract Geometric Wood Wall Sculpture in Grey & Dark Taupe)

Stelae (Abstract Geometric Wood Wall Sculpture in Grey & Dark Taupe)

By Stephen Walling

Located in Hudson, NY

Abstract geometric, minimalist three-dimensional wood wall sculpture in grey and dark taupe with paper collage "Stelae", hand-carved wooden wall sculpture by Hudson Valley artist, St...

Category

2010s Abstract Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Acrylic

Eugene Caples "Bronze Sculpture I" Abstract Bronze Sculpture
Eugene Caples "Bronze Sculpture I" Abstract Bronze Sculpture

Eugene Caples "Bronze Sculpture I" Abstract Bronze Sculpture

By Eugene Caples

Located in Detroit, MI

This small exquisite "Bronze Sculpture I" is in excellent condition and a perfect example of Eugene Caples craftsmanship. Although it is mainly abstract, there are bits that look figurative either an arm or a leg attempting to emerge from a fold or attempting to hold a pose such as in yoga. It cries out to be touched and held, looked at and caressed. The beautiful patina on the surface gives voice to the many hands that have done these things. Eugene Caples is a designer and craftsman who worked in Kansas City in the 1960s and later through the early 21st century. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute, earning his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Industrial Design in 1959. In 1963 he was accepted to Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The Cranbrook Academy of Art was designed by architect and faculty member, Eliel Saarinen who collaborated with Charles and Ray Eames on chair and furniture design. Numerous creative artists are alumni of Cranbrook and include: Harry Bertoia, Florence Knoll, Jack Lenor Larsen, Donald Lipski, Duane Hanson, Nick Cave, Hani Rashid, George Nelson, Urban Jupena (Nationally recognized fiber artist), Artis Lane (the first African-American artist to have her sculpture, "Sojourner Truth," commissioned for the Emancipation Hall in the Capital Visitor Center in Washington DC), Cory Puhlman (televised Pastry Chef extraordinaire), Thom O’Connor (Lithographs), and Paul Evans (Created Brutalist-inspired sculpted metal furnishings.) Gene worked...

Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

CC 100 - Blue red abstract geometric 3D wall circular sculpture
CC 100 - Blue red abstract geometric 3D wall circular sculpture

CC 100 - Blue red abstract geometric 3D wall circular sculpture

By Anna Kruhelska

Located in New York, NY

Anna Kruhelska is a visual artist and architect working across fields of art and design. She creates abstract, three-dimensional paper wall reliefs that startle in their intricacy an...

Category

2010s Abstract Geometric Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Plywood, Acrylic

Peekin (Colorful Abstract Geometric Wood Wall Sculpture in Blue, Green & White)
Peekin (Colorful Abstract Geometric Wood Wall Sculpture in Blue, Green & White)

Peekin (Colorful Abstract Geometric Wood Wall Sculpture in Blue, Green & White)

By Stephen Walling

Located in Hudson, NY

Abstract geometric three-dimensional wood wall sculpture in shades of blue, green, teal, with contrasts of white "Peekin", made by Hudson Valley artist, Stephen Walling, in 2020 35 x...

Category

2010s Abstract Geometric Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Acrylic, Wood Panel

Previously Available Items
"Abstract Figure with Face" Louise Nevelson, American Female, Anthropomorphic
"Abstract Figure with Face" Louise Nevelson, American Female, Anthropomorphic

"Abstract Figure with Face" Louise Nevelson, American Female, Anthropomorphic

By Louise Nevelson

Located in New York, NY

Louise Nevelson Abstract Figure with Face, circa 1945 Incised "LN" on the reverse Tattistone 6 inches high x 14 inches wide x 5 1/4 inches deep Provenance The artist The artist's ni...

Category

1940s American Modern Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Cast Stone

"Reclining Figure" Louise Nevelson, Modernist, Human Form, Abstracted Body
"Reclining Figure" Louise Nevelson, Modernist, Human Form, Abstracted Body

"Reclining Figure" Louise Nevelson, Modernist, Human Form, Abstracted Body

By Louise Nevelson

Located in New York, NY

Louise Nevelson Reclining Figure, circa 1943 Tattistone 8 inches high x 21 inches wide x 9 inches deep With base 10 inches high x 21 3/4 inches wide x 9 1/2 inches deep Provenance T...

Category

1940s American Modern Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Cast Stone

Collegiate
Collegiate

Louise NevelsonCollegiate, 1972

Sold

H 9.25 in W 8.5 in D 4.25 in

Collegiate

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Caviar20 is excited to be offering this fantastic tabletop sculpture by the inimitable Louise Nevelson - one of the most revered and unique sculptors of the 20th century. In the 197...

Category

1970s Abstract Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Canada Series
Canada Series

Louise NevelsonCanada Series, 1968

Sold

H 44.25 in W 31 in D 11.5 in

Canada Series

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Palm Desert, CA

"Canada Series" is a Post War abstract sculpture made with plexiglass with metal fasteners by Louise Nevelson in 1968. The artwork is 44 1/4 x 31 x 11 1/2 inches and weighs 80 lbs. ...

Category

20th Century Post-War Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Metal

American Book Award
American Book Award

Louise NevelsonAmerican Book Award, 1980

Sold

H 15.25 in W 15.25 in D 2.25 in

American Book Award

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Louise Nevelson (1899-1988) is one of the most revered and unique artists of the 20th century. There has been a tremendous renewal of interest and appreciation for Nevelson’s work...

Category

1970s Abstract Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Paint

Night Blossom
Night Blossom

Louise NevelsonNight Blossom, 1973

Sold

H 13 in W 11.5 in D 2.25 in

Night Blossom

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Louise Nevelson (1899-1988) is one of the most revered and unique artists of the 20th century. There has been a tremendous renewal of interest and appreciation for Nevelson’s work...

Category

1970s Abstract Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Paint

Night Leaf, USA, 1973  Painted wood multiple  Incised initials
Night Leaf, USA, 1973  Painted wood multiple  Incised initials

Night Leaf, USA, 1973 Painted wood multiple Incised initials

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Caviar20 is excited to be offering this impressive resin sculpture by the inimitable Louise Nevelson - one of the most revered artists of the 20th century. During the late 60s, Nev...

Category

1960s Abstract Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Resin

Winter Chord
Winter Chord

Louise NevelsonWinter Chord, 1975

Sold

H 14.5 in W 9.75 in D 1.5 in

Winter Chord

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Caviar20 is excited to be offering this fantastic sculpture by the inimitable Louise Nevelson - one of the most revered and unique sculptors of the 20th century. Over the last few y...

Category

1970s Abstract Expressionist Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Tree of Life

Tree of Life

By Louise Nevelson

Located in New York, NY

Painted wood multiple. Numbered 150/950 in red ink and with the artist's initials ink stamp, lower edge.

Category

1970s Abstract Expressionist Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Acrylic

Night Leaf
Night Leaf

Louise NevelsonNight Leaf, 1969

Sold

H 12.75 in W 12.75 in D 2.25 in

Night Leaf

By Louise Nevelson

Located in Toronto, Ontario

Caviar20 is excited to be offering this impressive resin sculpture by the inimitable Louise Nevelson - one of the most revered artists of the 20th century. During the late 60s, Nev...

Category

1960s Abstract Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Resin

The Louise Nevelson Sculpture for the American Book Award
The Louise Nevelson Sculpture for the American Book Award

The Louise Nevelson Sculpture for the American Book Award

By Louise Nevelson

Located in New York, NY

Wood multiple painted in black, from an edition of 100. Numbered "43" on the justification label on verso. Published by Nevelson. Some minor scuffing and wear, but in otherwise good...

Category

1980s Modern Louise Nevelson Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Paint

Louise Nevelson sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Louise Nevelson sculptures available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Louise Nevelson in wood, paint, mixed media and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the abstract style. Not every interior allows for large Louise Nevelson sculptures, so small editions measuring 10 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Peter Voulkos, Clifford Singer, and Val Bertoia. Louise Nevelson sculptures prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $11,000 and tops out at $90,000, while the average work can sell for $18,978.
Questions About Louise Nevelson Sculptures
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Some of Louise Nevelson's sculptures were called environments. These collage-like walls consisted of wooden boxes filled with found objects. Some of her most famous environments include the Black Wall from 1959 and The Great Wall from 1970. Find a selection of Louise Nevelson art on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Louise Nevelson used found wooden forms and made sculptures in steel, aluminum, plexiglass and other materials. Her artistic journey often featured wood, as she found it fascinating, but she added plastics and formica in the 1960s. In the 1970s she began to work on a gigantic scale with aluminum and steel. Shop a selection of Louise Nevelson pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Louise Nevelson is best known for her work creating wooden structures and sculptures. However, she also explored using plexiglass, aluminum and steel in her art. Her work is considered fundamental to the history of Feminist art and has challenged the stereotype of the male sculptor, solidifying her place in art history. Shop a selection of Louise Nevelson pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.