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Pedro Friedeberg

Mexican, b. 1936

The sculptor and painter Pedro Friedeberg works in a richly detailed, Surrealist and eccentric artistic style that blends influences from neoclassical art, M.C. Escher and native Mesoamerican symbolism. He is best known for his Hand chair — a functional sculpture that is an icon of design-as-art.

Friedeberg was born in Florence to German parents and moved with his mother to Mexico at the outset of World War II. As a university student in Mexico City in the 1950s, he initially studied architecture, but his designs for fantastical buildings ran afoul of his rationalist, Bauhaus-oriented teachers.

By chance, Friedeberg’s drawings came to the attention of Mathias Goeritz, the German-born Dadaist painter and sculptor. He encouraged Friedeberg and made him a protégé. Friedeberg credits his mentor for instilling in him a fanatical attention to detail in his work. Friedeberg produced his first Hand chair in 1961, and has since created numerous iterations. He has also made several variants using other human limbs in different functional forms such as tables and clocks.

While Friedeberg’s sculptures have a gentle character that is sometimes described as spiritual, his paintings and prints are something entirely different. He employs deep perspective to create hypnotic, painstakingly rendered canvases that suggest rooms and cityscapes.

Whatever the medium, Friedeberg’s work is arresting and instantly recognizable. The Hand chair, though familiar, remains a captivating piece — both furniture and artwork — that stands apart in any interior. Examples are often priced between $20,000 and $30,000, depending on formal variations (such as a foot-shaped pedestal), material and condition. Smaller functional items such as tabletop clocks bring about $9,000. His paintings and drawings require space; they are meant to be contemplated. Prices on original examples start at about $30,000; prints generally sell in the region of $900.

As you will see on 1stDibs, the art and design of Pedro Friedeberg is singular and memorable.

Average Sold Price
$3,747
Styles
Materials
Pedro Friedeberg Iconic Wood Hand Chair, 1960s
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Uccle, BE
This beautiful golden brown Pedro Friedeberg hand chair was commissioned in the 1960s and is crafted of solid Honduran Mahogany. In 1961 when Pedro was working with artist Mathias Go...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Pedro Friedeberg

Materials

Mahogany

Pedro Friedeberg Iconic Wood Hand Chair, 1960s
Pedro Friedeberg Iconic Wood Hand Chair, 1960s
$54,164
H 34.65 in W 19.69 in D 20.87 in
Pedro Friedeberg “Hand Chair”
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Hampstead, QC
Pedro Friedeberg (Mexican, b. January 11, 1936) is an Italian-born Mexican artist and designer known for his surrealist work. His best known piece is the “Hand Chair”, a sculptural...
Category

1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Pedro Friedeberg

Materials

Mahogany

Pedro Friedeberg “Hand Chair”
Pedro Friedeberg “Hand Chair”
$39,000
H 36 in W 20 in D 23 in
Large Hand and Foot Sculpture by Pedro Friedeberg
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Atlanta, GA
An iconic foot sculpture by celebrated Mexican American surrealist artist Pedro Friedeberg (1936-), circa 1960s. The wood model is of rare rendition in large size showcasing a hand s...
Category

1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Pedro Friedeberg

Materials

Wood

Large Hand and Foot Sculpture by Pedro Friedeberg
Large Hand and Foot Sculpture by Pedro Friedeberg
$8,000
H 21 in W 10.5 in D 11.25 in
1960s Pedro Friedeberg Miniature Hand Foot Chair Sculpture
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1960s Pedro Friedeberg hand foot miniature chair sculpture. Preowned original vintage unrestored condition. Signs of wear present. Measures: 4.38 tall x 3.5 deep x 2.5 wide. See o...
Category

1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Pedro Friedeberg

Materials

Wood

Pedro Friedeberg Minotaur Sculpture
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An early example of Pedro Friedeberg's Magic-Surrealist Oeuvre. An Image of the sculpture has been submitted to, and accepted by Mr. Friedeberg for their upcoming Catalog of Works.
Category

1970s Mexican Vintage Pedro Friedeberg

Materials

Wood

Pedro Friedeberg Minotaur Sculpture
Pedro Friedeberg Minotaur Sculpture
$8,900
H 23 in W 10.5 in D 13 in
Pedro Friedeberg Hands & Feet Table. Gold Leaf. Original and Rare
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Kansas City, MO
Pedro Friedeberg surrealist table. Glass with gold leafed hand carved wood. An exceptional example of the artists work. Could be used as a coffee table, occasional table, side tab...
Category

1960s Mexican Modern Vintage Pedro Friedeberg

Materials

Gold Leaf

Pedro Friedeberg Clock
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A wonderful gold-leafed variation of this form. Signed under the foot.
Category

1970s Mexican Vintage Pedro Friedeberg

Materials

Wood

Pedro Friedeberg Clock
Pedro Friedeberg Clock
$18,500
H 22 in W 16 in D 6.5 in
Pedro Friedeberg Moon Face with Hands Table Top Sculpture, 1970s, Signed.
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Kansas City, MO
Pedro Friedeberg Moon Face / Half Moon Table top Sculpture. Walnut and wood with gold leaf. Very good condition. Few if any signs of handling. Signed to the back "Pedro Friedebe...
Category

1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Pedro Friedeberg

Materials

Walnut, Giltwood

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Pedro Friedeberg Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2025$1,530More Folk Art, Figurative SculpturesWood1970s
2025$2,100Figurative PrintsCotton, Silver, Paper, Screen Print2017
2025$19,800Side TablesGlass, Gold Leaf, Wood1960s
2025$2,900Abstract SculpturesMahogany1960s
2025$1,100Interior PrintsScreen Print1987
2025$2,100Figurative PrintsCotton, Paper, Screen Print2021
2025$1,960Prints, Decorative ArtPlexiglass, Paper1970
2025$13,260ArmchairsBrass, Pinecirca 1950
2024$1,090PrintsCotton2008
2024$2,670Prints and MultiplesScreen Print2024
2024$2,400Prints and MultiplesEngraving2024
2024$1,720Prints and MultiplesEngraving2016
2024$175Paintings, Decorative Boxes2007
2024$2,295Figurative PrintsCotton, Gold Leaf, Paper, Screen Print2021
2024$1,100More Prints, Abstract PrintsScreen Print
$3,747
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$175-$19,800
Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

Pedro Friedeberg furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Pedro Friedeberg furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Pedro Friedeberg furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Pedro Friedeberg were created in the mid-century modern style in north america during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Sergio Bustamante, Feliciano Béjar, and Leonardo Nierman. Prices for Pedro Friedeberg furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $325 and can go as high as $50,244, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $12,000.

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