In addition to being one of America’s leading civil engineers, Robert Holmes gained considerable acclaim as a self-taught sculptor. His abstract and contemporary bronzes convey strength, grace, optimism and serenity and are reminiscent of the works of Auguste Rodin, Constantin Brâncuși, Gaston Lachaise and Henry Moore.
Holmes was born in 1927 in Missouri, where he grew up amid the Great Depression. He had an instinctive talent for design and, in his teens, helped his father build houses. Holmes later attended the University of Arizona, earning a degree in civil engineering.
In the early 1950s, Holmes moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he established the Robert Holmes Construction, Design and Development Company. He specialized in designing contemporary homes in the Bay Area before he relocated the business to Arizona in 1958.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Holmes was among Arizona’s most successful luxury home builders. His company also designed and built churches, banks, bridges, apartments and manufacturing plants.
In 1981, Holmes decided to pursue a second career as a sculptor and sold his business. With his wife, Edith, he moved to the Sea Ranch, a community located north of San Francisco. Over the next several years, Holmes worked with local foundries to create his sculptures but was dissatisfied with the process. In 1989, he formed his own bronze foundry — Bronze Plus — enabling him to oversee all aspects of production and forge relationships with other bronze artists.
Holmes’s abstract and figurative sculptures garnered attention from art critics and gallery owners across the United States. His semi-abstract and curvilinear works range from table-sized miniatures such as Pas De Tres and Dancers on Toe to large-scale monumental sculptures like The Game and Bull and Ball.
Holmes’s works have been exhibited extensively in the United States, Europe and Asia. His sculptures are in private, corporate and public collections, such as the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts, the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California, and the Hyatt Regency in San Diego. He died in 2016.
On 1stDibs, discover Robert Holmes’s dynamic sculptures.
Arched Dancers 2 (Miniature) 3/40
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Arched Dancers 2 (Small/Medium) 3/5
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
$39,600
Tossa De Mar
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
Bronze A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-kno...
Bronze
Arched Dancers 2 (Miniature) #11/40
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Arabesque (miniature) - 24 Karat Gold plated
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Gold, Bronze
Reverse (miniature) - 24 Karat Gold plated
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Gold, Bronze
$18,108
H 38.19 in W 3.15 in D 3.55 in
Bronze Sculpture 'Bolas IV' by Carola Eggeling, Bronze Patina
By Carola Eggeling
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze Sculpture 'Bolas IV' by Carola Eggeling Abstract sculpture with beautiful curved lines. German bronze sculpture Bronze Patina Certific...
Bronze
$7,456
H 19.69 in W 8.27 in D 11.82 in
Lotte- 21st Century Bronze Sculpture of a sitting Young Girl
By Wim van der Kraan
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Lotte 50 x 21 x 30 cm Bronze The theme van der Kraan likes most is to show the growing of young girls. Living in their own world. Like this girl watching ...
Bronze
$2,500
H 2.7 in Dm 2.7 in
Double Sided Gold Plated Medallion (Limited Edition; Signed and Stamped)
By Arnaldo Pomodoro
Located in New York, NY
ARNALDO POMODORO Double Sided Gold Plated Medallion, 1985 Bronze with Gold Patina 2 7/10 × 2 7/10 × 3/10 inches Limited Edition of 500 Signed by artist with incised signature; Stampe...
Gold, Bronze
$8,579
H 23.23 in W 11.82 in D 11.82 in
Facile- 21st Century, Contemporary Italian Bronze Sculpture of a woman
By Eva Steiner
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Facile 59 x 30 x 30 cm bronze Facile is a bronze sculpture by Italian contemporary artist Eva Steiner. In her work she focuses on the gracefulness of women. Her sculptures of bronz...
Bronze
$4,141
H 19.69 in W 5.12 in D 3.94 in
Daniëlle- 21st Century Bronze Sculpture of a standing Young Girl
By Wim van der Kraan
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Daniëlle 50 x 13 x 10 cm Bronze The theme van der Kraan likes most is to show the growing of young girls. Living in their own world. Like this girl watching...
Bronze
$4,142
H 9.85 in W 4.34 in D 3.15 in
Couple - 21st Century bronze sculpture of 2 People
By Antoinette Briet
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Antoinette Briet (Dutch artist) Couple 25 x 11 x 8 cm Bronze Antoinette Briet's sculpture can be called both a figurative and an abstract work of art. Her sculpted animals show thei...
Bronze
$2,958
H 7.09 in W 3.15 in D 3.55 in
Bronze Sculpture 'Bolas II' by Carola Eggeling, Bronze Polished
By Carola Eggeling
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze Sculpture 'Bolas II' by Carola Eggeling Abstract sculpture with beautiful curved lines. German bronze sculpture Bronze Polished Certificate of authenticity Numbered and sign...
Bronze
$23,430
H 25.6 in W 23.63 in D 13.78 in
Wild Horse - 21st Century Contemporary Bronze Sculpture of a Horse
By Frans van Straaten
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Frans van Straaten Wilde Horse VII Bronze on bluestone pedestal H 65 cm W 65 cm D 35 cm Dutch artist Frans van Straaten (1963) should be called an artist of balance always searching for harmony between force and movement in combination with space. Because of the wide range in his art-education he has mastered the art of drawing, painting and sculpting technology. However, the classical plastic art of sculpture and modelling opens up the possibility for him to create his own language of sculpture in answer to his urge for art. Due to this style of sculpting, the preference for bronze is natural. After his study of sculpture at the Academy of Art in Rotterdam (1988), Frans van Straaten creates bronze sculptures in which he unites force and movement. Feeling and Emotion converted into Matter Sculpture is an experience of space combined with the challenge of the three-dimensional. The tension of space and movement are the themes, which Frans expresses in his sculptures. Summary it can be said that the power of life and being, the feeling and emotion by force and movement will be converted into matter. The experience of space is being expressed in the shapes and characters in each of Frans’ sculptures. His sculptures of bulls express explosive power while the horses find their strength in being elegant. Each sculpture recalls this way their own association and serves as a metaphor for a certain emotion. Feelings, which has inspired the artist for each sculpture. Powerful and Elegant Looking at the works of this artist, it becomes very clear that one of his most important sources is his background in art history. The Renaissance period as well as several Italian artists served as inspiration to Frans as a sculpture. For instance the expressions in Leonardo da Vinci’s artworks, and also Giovanni...
Bronze
$39,997
H 21.66 in W 13 in D 17.33 in
Bronze Sculpture 'PELA' by Carola Eggeling, Bronze Polished
By Carola Eggeling
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze Sculpture 'PELA' by Carola Eggeling Abstract sculpture with beautiful curved lines. German bronze sculpture Bronze Polished Certificate of authenticity Numbered and signed a...
Bronze
$3,800
H 25.2 in W 10.24 in D 4.73 in
British Contemporary Sculpture by Philip Hearsey - Onset
By Philip Hearsey
Located in Paris, IDF
Bronze freely rotating on a scorched oak base Edition of 7 variations Stamped with monogram signature and uniquely numbered 568, 2/7 The patterns in raised bronze are surrounded by o...
Bronze
$4,600
H 28.75 in W 10.24 in D 7.09 in
British Contemporary Sculpture by Philip Hearsey - Acanto IV
By Philip Hearsey
Located in Paris, IDF
Year 2016 73 x 26 high x 18 cm Bronze freely rotating on a scorched yew base. Series of individual variations Stamped with monogram signature and uniquely numbered 619A Parts of th...
Bronze
$34,080
H 71.66 in W 13.78 in D 12.6 in
Bronze Sculpture 'Rosenmontagsstele' by Carola Eggeling
By Carola Eggeling
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze Sculpture 'Rosenmontagsstele' by Carola Eggeling Abstract sculpture with beautiful curved lines. German bronze sculpture Numbered and signed artwork Limited edition of 6 Meas...
Bronze
Arched Dancers 2 (Small) AP
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Arabesque (miniature) #3/40
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Dancers (Miniature) Turquoise Patina #2/40
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Solo (miniature) - 24 Karat Gold plated
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze, Gold
Solo (miniature)
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Pas De Tres (miniature unique)
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Pas De Tres (miniature, unique)
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Just Dancing AP2 (Medium)
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Mr. G, Small - High Polish
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Banana, High Polish
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Arched Dancers 2, Miniature, AP 2
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze
Solo, Small AP 1
By Robert Holmes
Located in Napa, CA
A civil engineer for 30 years, Holmes has been exhibiting and selling his sculptures since 1975 in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia. He is now very well-known for h...
Bronze