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.
$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
$1,400Sale Price|20% Off
H 14.5 in W 7.5 in D 6.5 in
After Fernando Botero Standing Woman Bronze Sculpture, Edition of 50
By Fernando Botero
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
After Fernando Botero – STANDING WOMAN Bronze Sculpture Edition of 50 This beautifully executed bronze sculpture is an After Fernando Botero work, created in faithful homage to th...
Marble, 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
Syrene. By Victor Minko. Bronze. 50x24x15 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Viktor Mikhailovich Minko 1967 - Born in Smorgon, Belarus. 1996 - Graduated from the Belarusian Academy of Arts, Sculpture Department. 1996 - Soros Foundation Grand Prize. 2005 - "Go...
Bronze
$8,473
H 12.21 in W 6.7 in D 2.17 in
Small Vibration by Martine Demal - Contemporary Abstract Bronze Sculpture
By Martine Demal
Located in Paris, FR
Small Vibration is a bronze sculpture by contemporary artist Martine Demal, dimensions including base are 12.2 × 6.7 × 2.2 in / 31 × 17 × 5.5 cm. The sculpture is signed and numbered...
Bronze
$115,000
H 61 in W 61 in D 42 in
A Cappella - large, contemporary, abstract, bronze and steel outdoor sculpture
By David Chamberlain
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This lyrical and elegant contemporary sculpture is by David Chamberlain whose work is collected and admired around the world. Hand forged in patinated bronze and steel, the flowing c...
Bronze, Steel
$564
H 6.11 in W 1.19 in
Curt Beckmann, Draped Figure, Bronze, German Abstract, Rhenish Secession
By Curt Beckmann
Located in Eltville am Rhein, DE
Curt Beckman Solingen 1901 – 1970 Düsseldorf Figured sculpture Bronze Unsigned Height 15.5 cm Good condition (see photos) Viewing and collection are welcome by prior appointment ...
Bronze
$4,500
H 23 in W 13 in D 7 in
Horse and Rider, Cubist Bronze Sculpture by Pearl Amsel
By Pearl Amsel
Located in Long Island City, NY
Modern Cubist sculpture by Pearl Amstel of a Horse and Rider. Artist: Pearl Amsel (1931 - ) Title: Untitled - Horse and Rider Year: 1974 Me...
Bronze
$20,000
H 15 in W 16 in D 16 in
"Dark Star No. 1", Organic, Abstract Bronze Metal Sculpture, Tabletop Size
By Norman Mooney
Located in New York, NY
"Dark Star #1" by Norman Mooney Edition of 10 + 2AP Blackened bronze In 1994 Mooney moved from Ireland to New York City and has been exhibiting locally and ...
Metal, Bronze
$20,476
H 16.54 in W 9.85 in D 17.33 in
Bronze Black Sculpture 'O.T. II' by Carola Eggeling, Patinated Bronze
By Carola Eggeling
Located in Paris, FR
Bronze Black Sculpture 'O.T. II' by Carola Eggeling Abstract sculpture with beautiful curved lines. German bronze black sculpture Numbered and signed artwork Limited edition of 9 Me...
Bronze
$6,800
H 31 in W 19 in D 14 in
Contemporary Stone-Inspired Bronze Portrait Sculpture
By Roger Reutimann
Located in Boulder, CO
This contemporary bronze portrait sculpture by Swiss-American artist Roger Reutimann explores the intersection of permanence and erosion, strength and vulnerability. Cast in bronze a...
Granite, Bronze
$6,500
H 2.88 in W 2.25 in
Vintage Abstract Expressionist Ibram Lassaw Modernist Bronze Sculpture Pendant
By Ibram Lassaw
Located in Surfside, FL
IBRAM LASSAW (Russian-American, 1913-2003), Sculptural pendant Gold plated bronze Signed verso Measurements: 2-7/8''h, 2-1/4''w. Ibram Lassaw was born in Alexandria, Egypt, of Rus...
Gold, Bronze
$19,000
H 72 in W 36 in D 12 in
"Ancestral" - wall sculpture, paddle, copper, tree
By Corrina Sephora
Located in Atlanta, GA
Corrina is inspired by the work of Louise Bourgeois, Louise Nevelson, Albert Paley, Lee Bontecou. Corrina Sephora is an Atlanta-based mixed-media Artist specializing in sculpture, p...
Bronze, Copper
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