The sculptor and painter Pedro Friedeberg worked in a richly detailed, Surrealist and eccentric artistic style that blended influences from neoclassical art, M.C. Escher and native Mesoamerican symbolism. He was 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.
Colesteroles Contra Triglirecidos
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Original Pedro Friedeberg painting "Colesteroles Contra Triglirecidos". Signed by the artist. 29 ½ x 39 1/3 in. image size.
Ink, Acrylic, Board
Untitled Micro-Gestalt H4
By Airom
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Acrylic and ink on canvas
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
$8,500
H 29 in W 38 in
1970 Mod Surrealist Painting Collage David Hare Abstract Landscape Summer Land
By David Hare
Located in Surfside, FL
David Hare Summer Land, 1970 Acrylic or oil paint and collage on board Dimensions: 26 X 36 inches. Framed measuring 29 x 38 inches. Hand signed, dated and titled on tape to verso 'S...
Acrylic, Board
$1,031
H 19.49 in W 16.15 in D 1.58 in
Framed Double Portrait Painting With Shared Moustache, Emoji Eyes and Blue Frame
By Natasha Lelenco
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Double portrait painting with shared moustache, emoji eyes and blue frame exploring identity, repetition and contemporary image culture. The Two Ones belongs to Natasha Lelenco’s on...
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Board
$1,975
H 30 in W 40 in
An Undying Wonderment - Original Figurative Mixed Media Surrealist Inspired Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Robert Lebsack creates artworks using mixed media with ink, acrylic, and charcoal on archival copies of newspapers, textbooks, and sheet music. As a visionary artist, Lebsack weaves ...
Paper, Charcoal, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$733
H 16.15 in W 13.78 in D 0.79 in
Naive Girl Portrait Painting with Blue and Orange Sculptural Frames
By Natasha Lelenco
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Original portrait painting depicting a doll-like girl framed by two sculptural resin frames, exploring memory, constructed identity and the visual language of childhood. The Orange ...
Spray Paint, Acrylic, Board
$350
H 12 in W 9 in D 1 in
Druid, Black and White, Original Painting, One of a Kind
By Aibek Begalin
Located in Granada Hills, CA
ARTIST: Aibek Begalin WORK: Original acrilic graphics, handmade artwork Medium: Acrylic and ink on paper YEAR: 2020 STYLE: Modern SUBJECT: DRUID SIZE: 12" x 9" x 0,1" inch, 21X29 cm ...
Paper, Ink, Acrylic
$15,000
H 36 in W 60 in
Universal Force, Surrealist Pop Art Painting by Michael Knigin
By Michael Knigin
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Michael Knigin, American (1942 - 2011) Title: Universal Force Year: 1990 Medium: Acrylic on canvas on board, signed and dated in pencil Size: 3...
Canvas, Acrylic, Board
"Ember" Acrylic painting
By Julio Labra
Located in Denver, CO
Julio Labra's "Ember" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a feminine figure in red with her many arms and hands of orange reaching into the nighttime sky like a flame ...
Acrylic, Board
Surrealist Hound
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Amazing surrealist painting by Italian artist Nuccio Fontanella (1936-2005). Ink and watercolor on cold pressed illustration board. Image measures 13 x 18 inches; 20 x 25 inches framed...
Ink, Watercolor, Illustration Board
$5,000
H 40 in W 30 in D 0.2 in
"The Cosmic Dance" GAIA as Mother Earth a Visionary Figurative - Acrylic
By Kimberlee Kuwica
Located in Soquel, CA
Emergence of Woman The Cosmic Dance A Visionary Figurative in Acrylic Flowing and stylized figurative work by Visionary artist Kimberlee Kuwica (American, b. 1967). From GAIA: "As t...
Acrylic, Illustration Board, Foam Board
$1,005
H 24 in W 18 in
Where the Search Ends - Original Mixed Media Surrealist Figurative Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Robert Lebsack creates artworks using mixed media with ink, acrylic, and charcoal on archival copies of newspapers, textbooks, and sheet music. As a visionary artist, Lebsack weaves ...
Paper, Charcoal, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$9,500
H 37 in W 59.5 in D 1 in
In Search of the False Trout, Surrealist Oil On Canvas 2010
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
"En Busca de la falsa trucha" In Search of the False Trout 2010 With signed certificate of autenticity. Oil on canvas signed and dated, it will be frame before shipping 39x61x1.5 Isa...
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
$400
H 12 in W 9 in D 1 in
Fairy Queen, Black and white, Original Painting, One of a Kind
By Aibek Begalin
Located in Granada Hills, CA
ARTIST: Aibek Begalin WORK: Original acrilic graphics, handmade artwork Medium: Acrylic and ink on paper YEAR: 2020 STYLE: Modern SUBJECT: FAIRY QUEEN SIZE...
Paper, Ink, Acrylic
$400
H 12 in W 9 in D 1 in
Garden Fairy 3, Black and White, Original Painting, One of a Kind
By Aibek Begalin
Located in Granada Hills, CA
ARTIST: Aibek Begalin WORK: Original acrilic graphics, handmade artwork Medium: Acrylic and ink on paper YEAR: 2020 STYLE: Modern SUBJECT: GARDEN FAIRY 3 SIZE: 12" x 9" x 0,1" inch U...
Paper, Ink, Acrylic
$350
H 11 in W 8 in D 1 in
Angel, Black and white, Original Painting, One of a Kind
By Aibek Begalin
Located in Granada Hills, CA
ARTIST: Aibek Begalin WORK: Original acrilic graphics, handmade artwork Medium: Acrylic and ink on paper YEAR: 2020 STYLE: Modern SUBJECT: ANGEL SIZE: 11,5" x 8,5" x 0,1" inch Unframed ANGEL Aibek Begalin was born in 1963 in Astana, Kazakhstan. In 1989 he graduated from V. Surikov Moscow State Academy Art Institute with a Master of Fine Arts. Now he lives and works in Los-Angeles, California, USA. In 2001 he had made a portrait for Pope John Paul II...
Paper, Ink, Acrylic
Sold
H 16 in W 20 in
Chess Field, Signed Surrealist Painting by Pedro Friedeberg
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Long Island City, NY
Friedeberg was born in Florence, Italy, on January 11, 1936, the son of German-Jewish parents, Friedeberg arrived in Mexico at the age of three. Having shown an early inclination for...
Ink, Acrylic, Gouache, Board
Sold
H 15.75 in W 15.75 in
El Hipopótamo from the book "La Jungla" Sonetos de Guadalupe Amor
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
The Hippopotamus Pedro Friedeberg Original Ink on paper. This image belongs to the book "La Jungla" (The Jungle) sonnets by Guadalupe Amor. With Certificate of Authenticity from th...
Paper, Ink
Decapitaciones Trantamorficas
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
"TRANTAMORPHIC BEHEADINGS" Pedro Friedeberg Original Mixed media on paper. Pedro Friedeberg is a Mexican artist and designer known for his surrealist work filled with lines colors a...
Mixed Media, Paper
Siluetas Peligrosas
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
"DANGEROUS SILHOUETTES" Mixed media on Museum board. Pedro Friedeberg is a Mexican artist and designer known for his surrealist work filled with lines colors and ancient and religi...
Mixed Media, Illustration Board
Capilla Particular
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
"PARTICULAR CHAPEL" Mixed media on Museum board. Pedro Friedeberg is a Mexican artist and designer known for his surrealist work filled with lines colors and ancient and religious ...
Mixed Media, Illustration Board
Salón de los Espejos Negros
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
"BLACK MIRRORS HALL" Mixed media on Museum board. Pedro Friedeberg is a Mexican artist and designer known for his surrealist work filled with lines colors and ancient and religious...
Mixed Media, Illustration Board
Sold
H 25.5 in W 25.5 in D 0.5 in
"Four Acrobats in Six Positions" Geometric Surrealist Print Edition 1 of 50
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Houston, TX
Geometric patterns with diamonds and other shapes. Painting consist of red figures that appear to be standing on chairs or hanging off of them. Print is the 1st edition of 50 prints. Artist signed the print in to bottom right corner. Print is framed in a gold frame with a cream matte. Artist Biography: Pedro Friedenberg is a Mexican artist known for his surrealist works that consist of ancient and religious symbols. He was born in Florence, Italy and escaped Europe at the beginning of the Second World War. He designed sculptural furniture in the shape of hands and feet. Friederberg studied as an architect but instead began to draw and designs surrealist inspired works. His work caught the attention of artist Mathias Goeritz who encouraged him to continue as an artist. Friedeberg became part of a group of surrealist artists in Mexico which included Leonora Carrington and Alice Rahon...
Lithograph
Sold
H 37.6 in W 48.04 in D 1.19 in
Frenologia del Feronom Pleonasmico y/o Energumenico
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Original Pedro Friedeberg painting "Frenologia del Feronom Pleonasmico y/o Energumenico". Signed by the artist.
Ink, Acrylic, Wood Panel
Composition with pyramids
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Greenwich, CT
original painting by surrealist Mexican Artist Pedro Friedeberg (b. 1936) Date : circa 1960's Year: 1969 Medium: oil, pen and ink on board Size: 15 x 15 inches ( 21 x 21 in. w. frame...
Ink, Oil
No me hables de eso
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Original Pedro Friedeberg painting "No me hables de eso". Signed by the artist. Cloth mat. 13.75 x 10.5 image.
Ink, Acrylic
Globalizacion Euforica
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Signed gicleé/ edition of 100 "Globalizacion Euforica". Includes signature Friedeberg striped Gold leaf frame 28.5 x 28.5 in. image with frame
Wood, Ink, Acrylic
Ni Idea
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Pedro Friedeberg painting "Ni Idea". Ink and acrylic on museum board. Signed by the artist. 23 x 23 in. image.
Acrylic, Board, Ink
Ni Idea
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
Pedro Friedeberg painting "Ni Idea". Ink and acrylic on museum board. Signed by the artist. Image 23 x 23 in.
Acrylic, Board, Ink
Sold
H 14.5 in W 15.5 in
Surrealist Architectural Fantasy Painting "Un Domingo En Gibraltar"
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Surfside, FL
Fish floating in a Piranesi or Fornasetti inspired landscape. In original Ziggurat black cloth frame. Pedro Friedeberg was born in Florence, Italy, 1936, to German-Jewish parents, H...
Surrealist Architectural Fantasy Painting "RSVP"
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Surfside, FL
"SOS" "RSVP" "QED" "Los Ignorantes..." in original Ziggurat black cloth frame. Pedro Friedeberg was born in Florence, Italy, 1936, to German-Jewish parents, He arrived in Mexico at...