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
$4,759
H 51.19 in W 13 in D 5.91 in
Totem (large) by Frédérique Domergue - Abstract metal sculpture, bronze, blue
By Frédérique Domergue
Located in Paris, FR
Totem (large) is a sculpture by French contemporary artist Frédérique Domergue. The sculpture is made with oak slat, waxed medal bronze and verdigris oxidized bronze on the sculpted ...
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
$1,104
H 5.71 in W 7.09 in D 3.94 in
The Bather Italy 1981 Roberto Nanut Bronze Nude Sculpture La Bagnante
By Roberto Nanut
Located in Brescia, IT
This is an engaging multiple artwork by the Italian artist Robert Nanut, a talented artist of 1980’. This is a multiple of numbered edition of 1.000 pieces. This artwork was made in 1980 but it can be considered new cause remained since now stored and packed in the Editor warehouse. The bronze sculpture is completed by the certificate of authenticity, there is the number assigned to the piece and the original signature of the author. Roberto Nanut...
Bronze
$2,059
H 12.21 in W 1.97 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 something she likes. The...
Bronze
$10,577
H 14.97 in W 3.15 in D 2.76 in
April by Antoine Vidal - Bronze sculpture, organic forms, totem
By Antoine Vidal
Located in Paris, FR
April is an abstract bronze sculpture by French artist Antoine Vidal. Dimensions are 38 × 8 × 7 cm (14.9 × 3.1 × 2.7 in) His bronze sculptures—often characterized by strong vertical...
Bronze
$4,000
H 16.15 in W 11.82 in D 3.94 in
British Contemporary Sculpture by Philip Hearsey - Era IV
By Philip Hearsey
Located in Paris, IDF
Bronze / slate composite / pulverized metal leaf. Individual variation. Stamped with monogram signature and uniquely numbered 914D The natural bronze is finely rubbed and lacquered f...
Slate, Bronze, Metal
$11,459
H 19.69 in Dm 19.69 in
Urbantree Negative I by Ondřej Oliva - bronze sculpture, golden, round, texture
By Ondřej Oliva
Located in Paris, FR
Urbantree Negative I is part of the Urbantree Negative series which is composed of pieces of three different sizes: * Urbantree Negative I. Diameter: 50 cm/ 19.7 in. Edition of 6. * ...
Bronze
$6,934
H 10.63 in W 10.24 in D 6.3 in
Arch III by Yann Guillon, Abstract Bronze Sculpture, Organic Forms, 10.6 In Tall
By Yann Guillon
Located in Paris, FR
The Ark III is a sculpture in bronze by French contemporary artist Yann Guillon. The sculpture reveals a subtle interplay of shades, curves and hollows that evoke movement and organ...
Bronze
$16,000
H 22 in W 18 in D 11 in
"Guided Spirit" (maquette), Abstract, Bronze Metal Sculpture, Tabletop Size
By Kevin Barrett
Located in New York, NY
"Guided Spirit" (maquette) Abstract, Tabletop Size, Metal Sculpture by Kevin Barrett Bronze Kevin Barrett is noted for creating unique, rhythmic, abstract indoor and outdoor sculptu...
Metal, Bronze
$5,758
H 32.68 in W 7.09 in D 7.09 in
Schwerelos by Kuno Vollet - Elegant Contemporary Black bronze sculpture
By Kuno Vollet
Located in DE
Artist: Kuno Vollet Title: Schwerelos 5 Materials: Bronze sculpture with a dark patina on black granite base Size: 65cm height of upper sculpture, base: 18 x 18 cm x 8 cm Ed of 15
Granite, Bronze
$9,578
H 15.75 in W 3.94 in D 3.55 in
L'Homme au regard by Antoine Vidal - vertical bronze sculpture, dark patina
By Antoine Vidal
Located in Paris, FR
L’homme au regard is an abstract bronze sculpture by French artist Antoine Vidal. His works in bronze, very often marked by a verticality with totemic accents, reflect an aesthetic...
Bronze
$2,240
H 15 in W 17 in D 12 in
The Flight (wood bronze bird abstract art marble zen sculpture pedestal bird)
By Eric Tardif
Located in Quebec, Quebec
The sculpture is entirely made of bronze and forms three stylized birds taking flight. The birds rest on a green marble plate. This work may recall the art of Native Americans in Wes...
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
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
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
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
Dancers on Toe 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
Arched Dancer, Small AP1
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
Arabesque, Miniature AP1
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, AP1
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