From his audacious Pop art paintings that challenged Spanish dictator Francisco Franco’s regime during the 1960s to his modern reinterpretation of works by masters such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, Valencia native Manolo Valdés has created an extraordinary range of work. He is internationally renowned as one of the most influential Spanish artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Born in 1942, Valdés studied art at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos de Valencia. As his career began to take shape, in 1964, Valdés cofounded Equipo Crónica with fellow Spanish artists Rafael Solbes and Juan Antonio Toledo. Together, the collective produced politically charged graphic Pop works, which frequently merged imagery that referenced Spain’s history and culture, in order to expressly denounce Franco’s oppressive government. Toledo left Equipo Crónica after one year, and the group disbanded after Solbes’s death in 1981.
From 1981 onward, Valdés focused on his solo career. In his portraits, still-life prints and figurative sculptures, Valdés adopts familiar images from masterpieces by some of the world’s most recognizable artists, including Diego Velázquez, Peter Paul Rubens and Roy Lichtenstein, and recontextualizes them, minimalizing forms and the use of color, introducing collagist elements and more. Examples of Valdés’s methods can be seen in the textured lithograph print Claribel (1995) and his contemporary sculpture Butterflies (2010), which is inspired by Matisse’s Woman with a Hat (1905).
Valdés has exhibited his works around the world, including in New York City, Paris, London, Madrid, Berlin, Geneva and Mexico City. In 1999, he represented Spain at the Venice Biennale. His paintings and sculptures are also held in the collections of the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Moderna Museet in Malmö, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of original Manolo Valdés prints, sculptures and mixed media.
$7,463Sale Price|58% Off
Reina Mariana III (Las Meninas), 2022, Valdés, porcelain sculptures
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Zug, CH
Manolo Valdes Reina Mariana III (Las Meninas), 2022 Limoges Porcelain 35 × 23.5 × 17.8 cm (13.8 × 9.3 × 7 in) Edition of 199 In mint condition Images of edition number are example r...
Porcelain
Manolo Valdés Sculpture: Damas Y Caballeros: Manolo Valdés
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Miami, FL
Manolo Valdes Damas y Caballeros: Manolo Valdés, 2024 Ed. 614 of 998 Art Book + Study Book Blue Resin Menina: 18 x 14 x 10 in Book Case: 19 x 19 x 3 in
Resin, Handmade Paper
$7,463Sale Price|36% Off
Reina Mariana IV (Las Meninas), 2022, Valdés, porcelain sculptures
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Zug, CH
Manolo Valdes Reina Mariana IV (Las Meninas), 2022 Limoges Porcelain 35 × 23.5 × 17.8 cm (13.8 × 9.3 × 7 in) Edition of 199 In mint condition Images of edition number are example re...
Porcelain
$7,463Sale Price|36% Off
Reina Mariana I (Las Meninas), 2022, Valdés, porcelain sculptures
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Zug, CH
Manolo Valdes Reina Mariana I (Las Meninas), 2022 Limoges Porcelain 35 × 23.5 × 17.8 cm (13.8 × 9.3 × 7 in) Edition of 199 In mint condition Images of edition number are example ref...
Porcelain
Balloon Rabbit (Violet)
By Jeff Koons
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Jeff Koons Title: Balloon Rabbit (Violet) Year: 2019 Medium: Porcelain with violet chromatic coating Dimensions: 11 1/2 × 5 1/2 × 8 1/4 in (29.2 × 14 × 21 cm) Edition: 999; I...
Porcelain
$4,280
H 9.75 in W 11 in D 9.5 in
"Beach-Combed Mochaware, " Mixed Media Sculpture
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life. Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest. Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...
Stone
Poole Pottery Volcano Vase
Located in London, GB
Poole Pottery Volcano Vase This outstanding small vase is a superb example of British mid-century modern studio pottery, produced as part of the celebrated Poole Pottery “Volcano” c...
Porcelain
ARDOR - Tiny Bear, Pop Messages
Located in PARIS, FR
Technique: handmade porcelain made in Italy Edition: handmade piece, unique edition Information: Ardor is a brand born from the vision of artist Raffaele and dedicated to his son....
Porcelain, Acrylic
$3,422
H 33.08 in W 12.21 in D 6.7 in
Baroque sculpture Dressed image Virgin Mary crowned, Virgin Queen - Spain
Located in Valladolid, ES
One of a kind , dressed statue of the crowned Virgin Mary. The sculptural mastery of the piece is remarkable, with an impressive sweetness and solemn expression. It is presented in a...
Porcelain, Wood
$15,580
H 15.44 in W 9.81 in D 8.23 in
Orange Balloon Monkey Sculpture, Porcelain, Pop Art, Signed Edition
By Jeff Koons
Located in Bristol, GB
French Limoges porcelain with chromatic coating Edition 460 of 999 39.2 x 24.9 x 20.9 cm (15.4 x 9.8 x 8.2 in) Signed and numbered Minor imperfections may appear due to the produ...
Porcelain
$50,234
H 15.75 in W 15.75 in D 6.5 in
ALBEDO Sculpture of Skulls in Feathers on removable Brass Base, Unique, Signed
By Laurence Le Constant
Located in PARIS, FR
ALBEDO is a unique sculpture by Laurence Le Constant, composed of recycled duck, guinea fowl, and pheasant feathers on resin, presented on a removable patinated brass base. Referenc...
Resin, Epoxy Resin
$3,000
H 17 in W 6.5 in D 6.5 in
"Neighborling Maquette 28" Patterned Architectural Tower Figure by Seth Clark
By Seth Clark
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This piece, titled "Neighborling Maquette 28" s an original free-standing sculpture by Seth Clark as part of his newest solo exhibition, "Passing Through". Clark's deteriorating stru...
Wood, Paper, Acrylic, Resin
$3,500
H 17.5 in W 8 in D 8 in
"Neighborling Maquette 29" Humanoid House Rotunda with Spire Sculpture
By Seth Clark
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This piece, titled "Neighborling Maquette 29" is an original free-standing sculpture by Seth Clark as part of his newest solo exhibition, "Passing Through". Clark's deteriorating st...
Wood, Paper, Acrylic, Resin
$280,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 97.5 in W 119.5 in D 12.5 in
EveryThing (Flag) Sculpture, Contemporary, Mirror & Fiberglass, 2015
By Doug Aitken
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Doug Aitken EveryThing, 2015 Mirror, Fibreglass & resin 92.5 x 119.5 x 12.5 inches Edition of 4 plus 2 AP's Provenance: NB: Available on sale
Resin, Mirror, Fiberglass
Seau à glace "œuf"
By François-Xavier Lalanne
Located in PARIS, FR
EDITION Monogrammed inside on the nickel silver plaque: FXL Bears the date-stamp (19)75 in blue from the Manufacture de Sèvres and the mentions in hollow JB 919 P AA9 inside the base...
Porcelain
Paire de bougeoirs éléphants
By François-Xavier Lalanne
Located in PARIS, FR
EDITION Each monogrammed, stamped, dated and marked: FxL; Lalanne; 85; Artcurial dated 85 One numbered on a metal label inside a wick: E A 41/80 LITERATURE François-Marie Barnier et Jean-Gabriel Mitterrand, Claude et François...
Porcelain
Sold
H 13.78 in W 9.26 in D 7.01 in
Reina Mariana II (Las Meninas), 2022, Valdés, porcelain sculptures
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Zug, CH
Manolo Valdes Reina Mariana II (Las Meninas), 2022 Limoges Porcelain 35 × 23.5 × 17.8 cm (13.8 × 9.3 × 7 in) Edition of 199 In mint condition Images of edition number are example re...
Porcelain
Sold
H 13.78 in W 9.26 in D 7.01 in
Reina Mariana IV (Las Meninas), 2022, Valdés, porcelain sculptures
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Zug, CH
Manolo Valdes Reina Mariana IV (Las Meninas), 2022 Limoges Porcelain 35 × 23.5 × 17.8 cm (13.8 × 9.3 × 7 in) Edition of 199 In mint condition Images of edition number are example re...
Porcelain
Sold
H 13.78 in W 9.26 in D 7.01 in
Reina Mariana I (Las Meninas), 2022, Valdés, porcelain sculptures
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Zug, CH
Manolo Valdes Reina Mariana I (Las Meninas), 2022 Limoges Porcelain 35 × 23.5 × 17.8 cm (13.8 × 9.3 × 7 in) Edition of 199 In mint condition Images of edi...
Porcelain
Sold
H 13.78 in W 9.26 in D 7.01 in
Reina Mariana I (Las Meninas), 2022, Valdés, porcelain sculptures
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Zug, CH
Manolo Valdes Reina Mariana I (Las Meninas), 2022 Limoges Porcelain 35 × 23.5 × 17.8 cm (13.8 × 9.3 × 7 in) Edition of 199 In mint condition Images of edi...
Porcelain
Sold
H 13.78 in W 9.26 in D 7.01 in
Reina Mariana IV (Las Meninas), 2022, Valdés, porcelain sculptures
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Zug, CH
Manolo Valdes Reina Mariana IV (Las Meninas), 2022 Limoges Porcelain 35 × 23.5 × 17.8 cm (13.8 × 9.3 × 7 in) Edition of 199 In mint condition Images of ed...
Porcelain
Sold
H 5.12 in W 4.34 in D 3.15 in
Manolo Valdés Las Damas de Barajas Three Sculptures in Bronze with Ebony Base
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Paris, FR
Manolo Valdés, Las Damas de Barajas 2006 Three patinated bronze sculptures on an ebony base. Signed “M.V.” and numbered “xx/150”. Ed. Art Witness-Boza. Cast by Magisa, SA. Edition ma...
Bronze
Sold
H 31.1 in W 39.76 in D 22.05 in
Ada Cabeza con Flores Plateadas aluminum sculpture by Manolo Valdés
By Manolo Valdés
Located in Boca Raton, FL
"Ada Cabeza con Flores Plateadas" (Head with Silver Flowers) Aluminum sculpture by Manolo Valdés. Edition 3 of 9.
Metal