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.
Pair of Surreal Miniature Wooden Hand and Foot Chair Sculptures
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Houston, TX
Dimensions listed are for each individual hand and the price is for the pair. Artist Biography: Artist and designer Pedro Friedeberg is known for his surrealist paintings, prints, a...
Wood
$3,712Sale Price|25% Off
Mano Sol (rare giltwood sculpture)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Carved giltwood sculpture. Signed Pedro Friedberg on the underside of the base. Size: 10 x 3.25 x 1.5 inches. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Artwork is in excellent co...
Gold Leaf
$3,712Sale Price|25% Off
Mano Luna (rare giltwood sculpture)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Carved giltwood sculpture. Signed Pedro Friedberg on the underside of the base. Size: 10 x 3.25 x 1.5 inches. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Artwork is in excellent co...
Gold Leaf
$4,875Sale Price|25% Off
H 13.5 in W 7 in D 6 in
Gymnast (bust), Bronze Sculpture
By Richard MacDonald
Located in Aventura, FL
Bronze sculpture with marble base. Incised artist signature and date. Sculpture size 13.5 x 7 x 6 inches (including base). Sculpture is in excellent condition (marble base has a c...
Bronze
$1,280Sale Price|20% Off
H 18.5 in W 9.5 in D 13.75 in
CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd "THE GREATEST" Sculpture from Huichol ALTERATIONS Series
By CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
THE GREATEST!!!!!! ALTERATION ART . . . is a collaboration process between CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd, fine artist and art dealer with over 40 years experience, and various Mexican Hui...
Glass, Mixed Media
$383Sale Price|20% Off
H 15.75 in W 7.88 in D 4.73 in
Expresionist Ceramic Figurative Sculpture Tricorn Hat Character with Gold Leaf
By Óscar Aldonza Torres
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Contemporary hand built ceramic figurative sculpture featuring a tricorn hat character with dark glaze and gold accents. Extravagant Tricorn Hat forms part of the Extravagantes seri...
Gold Leaf
$8,500
H 18 in W 7 in D 7 in
Large Original Surrealist Bronze Marble Sculpture Alma Del Quijote Salvador Dali
By Salvador Dalí
Located in Surfside, FL
Salvador Dali (Spanish, 1904-1989) Alma del Quijote Bronze with marble base Edition: AB 52/100 Signed by Dalí This Surrealist sculpture depicts a dynamic and fragmented Don Quixote...
Marble, Bronze
$6,200
H 21.5 in W 12 in D 6.5 in
Mexican Art Abstract Brutalist Gilt Steel Geometric Sculpture Mathias Goeritz
By Mathias Goeritz
Located in Surfside, FL
Mathias Goeritz (German Mexican, 1915-1990) Geometric Torch-cut Steel or Iron Sculpture with gold leaf gilding. Welded signature, MG. This came from an estate and is signed with his ...
Iron, Gold Leaf, Steel
$880Sale Price|66% Off
H 17.5 in W 6.75 in D 11.5 in
CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd "THE HORN PLAYER" Sculpture from Huichol ALTERATIONS
By CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
THE HORN PLAYER!!!!!! ALTERATION ART . . . is a collaboration process between CHROMA aka Rick Wolfryd, fine artist and art dealer with over 40 years experience, and various Mexican ...
Glass, Mixed Media
$14,625Sale Price|25% Off
H 14.6 in W 6.3 in D 2.8 in
Homage to Newton (bronze sculpture)
By Salvador Dalí
Located in Aventura, FL
Bronze with patina sculpture. Incised signature by the artist and stamp numbered with foundry and date. From the edition of 350. Size including marble plinth approx. 15 x 8.5 x 3.5 ...
Bronze
$478
H 15.75 in W 7.88 in D 4.34 in
Contemporary Ceramic Figurative Sculpture Expressive Male Figure Gold Accent
By Óscar Aldonza Torres
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Contemporary ceramic figurative sculpture featuring an expressive vertical male figure with gold accents and performative presence. This hand built ceramic sculpture belongs to the ...
Gold Leaf
$2,871Sale Price|20% Off
H 33.86 in W 18.51 in D 13.39 in
Expressive Abstract Figurative Ceramic and Iron Sculptural Bust Learner Three
By Óscar Aldonza Torres
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Expressive ceramic bust with forged-iron structure exploring the idea of lifelong learning through a fragile yet resilient human figure. This sculptural bust combines ceramic head an...
Iron
Decoration - Carved wooden tribal mask
Located in PARIS, FR
Carved wooden tribal mask 7 x 20 x 10 cm height with base: 38 cm
Wood
$4,500
H 6 in W 6 in D 3 in
Adam Kadmon ("Vision"), Kabbalistic Jewish Russian sculpture signed & inscribed
By Grisha Bruskin
Located in New York, NY
Grisha Bruskin Adam Kadmon (Vision), Signed and signed dedicated to art historian and collector Jacob Baal Teshuva), 1992 Steel Sculpture (Signed, Dated & Dedicated) 6 × 6 × 3 i...
Steel
"Pexto Car, " Mixed-Media Sculpture
Located in Chicago, IL
To Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald, his miniature car sculptures are a means of traveling through time. Born from a fascination with the soap box derby cars of his youth, eac...
Wood, Paper, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
Sold
H 11.5 in W 7 in D 5.5 in
Reloj Astrologico (rare bronze sculpture with working clock)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Bronze sculpture with a working clock. Incised Pedro Friedberg on the base. Incised PA (artist proof) on the base. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Artwork is in excelle...
Bronze
Reloj Astrologico (rare signed bronze sculpture)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Bronze sculpture. Incised Pedro Friedberg on the base. Incised PA (artist proof) on the base. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Artwork is in excellent condition. All re...
Bronze
Piedra Filosofal (Philosopher Stone) (8/10)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist and designer Pedro Friedeberg is known for his surrealist paintings, prints, and sculptural furniture. He was the subject of a 2009 retrospective at the Museo del Palacio de B...
Gold Leaf
Sold
H 5.75 in W 10 in D 5.75 in
BANCA ZIGURATICA NINIVESCA DE 3 PLAZAS (SCULPTURE)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Wood sculpture with gold color trim. Hand signed and numbered on the underside by the artist. From the edition of 4. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Artwork is in excellent condition. All reasonable offers will be considered. About the Artist: Pedro Friedeberg is a contemporary Mexican artist...
Wood
FRUTERO TRIPIE (SCULPTURE)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Hand painted wood sculpture. Hand signed on the underside by the artist. Edition of 2. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Artwork is in excellent condition. All reasonable ...
Wood
SILLA DE GOBERNATE CUADRO (SCULPTURE)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Wood sculpture with gold color trim. Hand signed and numbered on the underside by the artist. PA (artist proof) edition. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Artwork is in e...
Wood
SILLA DE REGLA TRIANGULO (SCULPTURE)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Wood sculpture with gold color trim. Hand signed and numbered on the underside by the artist. PA (artist proof) edition. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Artwork is in excellent condition. All reasonable offers will be considered. About the Artist: Pedro Friedeberg is a contemporary Mexican artist...
Wood
SILLA DE PIE Y MANO (LARGE)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Carved wood sculpture. Engraved artist signature on the underside. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Please do not hesitate to ask us any further questions. All reasonable ...
Wood
SILLA POLICROMADA (SCULPTURE)
By Pedro Friedeberg
Located in Aventura, FL
Bronze sculpture. Engraved artist signature and edition on the underside. From the edition of 8. Certificate of Authenticity is included. Please do not hesitate to ask us any fu...
Bronze