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Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

ART NOUVEAU STYLE

In its sinuous lines and flamboyant curves inspired by the natural world, antique Art Nouveau furniture reflects a desire for freedom from the stuffy social and artistic strictures of the Victorian era. The Art Nouveau movement developed in the decorative arts in France and Britain in the early 1880s and quickly became a dominant aesthetic style in Western Europe and the United States.

ORIGINS OF ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE DESIGN

  • Sinuous, organic and flowing lines
  • Forms that mimic flowers and plant life
  • Decorative inlays and ornate carvings of natural-world motifs such as insects and animals 
  • Use of hardwoods such as oak, mahogany and rosewood

ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ANTIQUE ART NOUVEAU FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

Art Nouveau — which spanned furniture, architecture, jewelry and graphic design — can be easily identified by its lush, flowing forms suggested by flowers and plants, as well as the lissome tendrils of sea life. Although Art Deco and Art Nouveau were both in the forefront of turn-of-the-20th-century design, they are very different styles — Art Deco is marked by bold, geometric shapes while Art Nouveau incorporates dreamlike, floral motifs. The latter’s signature motif is the "whiplash" curve — a deep, narrow, dynamic parabola that appears as an element in everything from chair arms to cabinetry and mirror frames.

The visual vocabulary of Art Nouveau was particularly influenced by the soft colors and abstract images of nature seen in Japanese art prints, which arrived in large numbers in the West after open trade was forced upon Japan in the 1860s. Impressionist artists were moved by the artistic tradition of Japanese woodblock printmaking, and Japonisme — a term used to describe the appetite for Japanese art and culture in Europe at the time — greatly informed Art Nouveau. 

The Art Nouveau style quickly reached a wide audience in Europe via advertising posters, book covers, illustrations and other work by such artists as Aubrey Beardsley, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Alphonse Mucha. While all Art Nouveau designs share common formal elements, different countries and regions produced their own variants.

In Scotland, the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh developed a singular, restrained look based on scale rather than ornament; a style best known from his narrow chairs with exceedingly tall backs, designed for Glasgow tea rooms. Meanwhile in France, Hector Guimard — whose iconic 1896 entry arches for the Paris Metro are still in use — and Louis Majorelle produced chairs, desks, bed frames and cabinets with sweeping lines and rich veneers. 

The Art Nouveau movement was known as Jugendstil ("Youth Style") in Germany, and in Austria the designers of the Vienna Secession group — notably Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann and Joseph Maria Olbrich — produced a relatively austere iteration of the Art Nouveau style, which mixed curving and geometric elements.

Art Nouveau revitalized all of the applied arts. Ceramists such as Ernest Chaplet and Edmond Lachenal created new forms covered in novel and rediscovered glazes that produced thick, foam-like finishes. Bold vases, bowls and lighting designs in acid-etched and marquetry cameo glass by Émile Gallé and the Daum Freres appeared in France, while in New York the glass workshop-cum-laboratory of Louis Comfort Tiffany — the core of what eventually became a multimedia decorative-arts manufactory called Tiffany Studios — brought out buoyant pieces in opalescent favrile glass. 

Jewelry design was revolutionized, as settings, for the first time, were emphasized as much as, or more than, gemstones. A favorite Art Nouveau jewelry motif was insects (think of Tiffany, in his famed Dragonflies glass lampshade).

Like a mayfly, Art Nouveau was short-lived. The sensuous, languorous style fell out of favor early in the 20th century, deemed perhaps too light and insubstantial for European tastes in the aftermath of World War I. But as the designs on 1stDibs demonstrate, Art Nouveau retains its power to fascinate and seduce.

There are ways to tastefully integrate a touch of Art Nouveau into even the most modern interior — browse an extraordinary collection of original antique Art Nouveau furniture on 1stDibs, which includes decorative objects, seating, tables, garden elements and more.

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Style: Art Nouveau
Beautiful Art Nouveau Biscuit Cup, DMP, 1910-1920
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Beautiful Art Nouveau biscuit cup, DMP (Duxer Porzellan-Manufaktur, Royal Dux Bohemia), 1910-1920. Measures: H: 44 cm, W: 36 cm, D: 22 cm base - W: 19 cm, D: 17 cm.
Category

1910s European Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Porcelain

Wall-Mounted Large Weather Station in Art Nouveau Style Carved Walnut Belgium
Located in Verviers, BE
Wall-mounted weather station in carved walnut made in Liege Belgium by G.Tart. High quality mechanism with Jeweled movement barometer and thermometer (in centigrade) Unusual design ...
Category

1910s Belgian Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Walnut

Rare Early 1900s Stylish & Abstract Hand Carved Teakwood Sculpture, Kissing Pair
Located in Lisse, NL
Beautifully stylized sculpture of a couple in a loving embrace. This early 20th century work of art is part of the 'modernist school' that was at the start of making art more and mo...
Category

Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Teak

James Gabbert (American, B. 1952) Bronze Of A Woman, "Dusk", Signed
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Bronze figure of a barefoot woman emitting from a flower with her hair and fold of her dress in the air. Signed on base. Presented on a round marble plinth inscribed Gabbert. Condit...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

19th Century French Plaster Figure of A Woman
Located in High Point, NC
19th century art nouveau plaster figure of a woman with bare feet, holding up her dress and crossing over rocky terrain. She is wearing a lovely hat and is surrounded by a floral sw...
Category

19th Century French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Plaster

Large Art Nouveau Terracotta Sculpture "Zeus & Io" by Kai Nielsen, Denmark
Located in Odense, DK
Monumental sculpture by Danish artist Kai Nielsen made in 1922 at "Kähler" workshop ("HAK"). The sculpture depicts a scene from the Ancient Greek legend of "Zeus & Io". It is made fr...
Category

1920s Danish Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Earthenware, Terracotta

Art Nouveau Large "Putto" Cherub Figure Michael Andersen & Sons, Denmark, 1960s
Located in Odense, DK
Wonderful large "Putto" figure handmade in the 1930s at Michael Andersen & Sons, Denmark. The figure is made from earthenware and is covered in a beautiful fat grey craquelé glazing. Stamped with the manufacturers logo (3 fishes) underneath. Michael Andersen & Sons was a famous danish ceramics workshop established in 1890 at the small island of Bornholm, Denmark. They were one of Denmarks finest ceramics workshops. With traditional names such as "Søholm", "Michael Andersen" and "Hjorth's Keramik", Bornholm has managed to place itself heavily on the Danish map...
Category

1930s Danish Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic

Wall-Mounted Weather Station in Art Nouveau Style Carved Walnut 1910s
By A. de Lambert
Located in Verviers, BE
Wall-mounted weather station in carved walnut made in Belgium by A. de Lambert. High quality mechanism with jeweled movement barometer and thermometer (in centigrade) Unusual design ...
Category

1910s Belgian Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Walnut

Francois Raoul Larche (1860-1912) LA SEVE or Métamorphose de Daphné
Located in Dallas, TX
Francois Raoul Larche (1860-1912) LA SEVE or Métamorphose de Daphné Gilt Bronze Art Nouveau Sculpture Cast, Gilt Bronze or Marble base France, c. 1900, Signed "Raoul Larche," number...
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Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Alloy Sculpture, Signed L. Moreau, France, Late 19th Century
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Bronze Alloy sculpture "Fée Aux Fleurs", Signed L. Moreau, France, Late 19th Century.
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Leda and the Swan Bronze sculpture by Ferd Otratovsky
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Leda and the Swan Bronze sculpture by Ferd Otratovsky. Signed and dated "FERD. OTRADOVSKY 1926" within the cast on the base. Black patinated bronze, mounte...
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Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Early 20th Century Spanish Bronze Entitled "Girl Putting on her Shoe" by J Clara
Located in London, GB
An endearing early 20th Century Spanish patinated gilt bronze study of a young girl sitting upon a stool whilst putting on her shoe. The surface of the bronze with excellent rich ...
Category

Early 20th Century Spanish Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Franz Xaver Bergmann, Odalisque, Vienna Bronze Sculpture, Ca. 1900
Located in New York, NY
This wonderful life-like sculpture depicts a half-naked odalisque reclining in a lazy pose on silk pillows on an ottoman, covered with a lion's skin. With bare breasts, only a small ...
Category

1890s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Large Goldscheider Patinated Terracotta Sculpture of a Woman Carrying Water
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This large Art Nouveau signed Goldsheider sculpture is done in patinated terracotta and dates to approximately 1900-1920. The statue is done in a Neoclassical style depicting a woman carrying water...
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

Bronzefigur Akt von Victor Heinrich Seifert
Located in Aachen, DE
Stehender, weiblicher Akt, nach vorne gebeugt. Dunkel patinierte Bronze (Kratzer, fehlender Schmetterling). Auf runder Plinthe sign. , auf Marmorpostament. Victor Heinrich Seifert...
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1920s German Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Gilt Bronze Sculpture, Onyx Base by Joe Descomps, 1900, Art Nouveau.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Gilt bronze sculpture, onyx base by Joe Descomps, 1900, Art Nouveau. An Art Nouveau sculpture by Joe Descomps of a dancer with a mask, circa 1900, gilt bronze and onyx base. H: 44cm...
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Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Onyx, Bronze

"Honoring Svatopluk Čech", Art Nouveau Relief Plaque w/ Male & Female Nudes
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This fine and unusual example of Czech Art Nouveau sculpture -- complete with male and female nudes in profile, and a border of pine branches -- features at its center a portrait of ...
Category

1910s Czech Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Pewter

Vintage Sterling Silver Presentation Car
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
This exceptional and rare, vintage English sterling silver presentation ornament has been realistically modelled in the form of a car in the Art Nouveau manner. The body of this stylised Jaguar style car has a plain moulded form. This exceptional model surmounts the original carved stained oak wood plinth, accented with a vacant silver inscription plaque to the lower rim. This exceptional vintage silver presentation ornament is fitted to the original hinged leatherette box with satin and velvet lined interior, secured with two hinged catches. Condition This vintage sterling silver...
Category

Late 20th Century British Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Sterling Silver

Ceramic Sculpture Water Carrier Viennese Secession circa 1903 White Gold
Located in Klosterneuburg, AT
Ceramic sculpture respresenting a Water Carrier - designed by Wilhelm Bormann - manufacture attributed to Ernst Wahliss Wien - Viennese Secession circa 1903 Austrian Art Nouveau - Jugendstil Wilhelm Bormann studied at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts from 1898 and lectured at the Vienna University of Technology. From 1908, he was also an employee in the Viennese mosaic workshop Leopold Forstner...
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Early 1900s Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic, Earthenware

Gilt And Patinated Bronze Bust By Henri Godet “Femme Tulipe”
Located in Norwood, NJ
A fine unusual Art Nouveau two tone gilt and patinated bronze bust of a young lady rising from the center of a tulip flower with fine detail, raised on a breche griotte circular marb...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Griotte Marble

Wall-Mounted Large Weather Station in Art Nouveau Style Carved Walnut Belgium
Located in Verviers, BE
Wall-mounted weather station in carved walnut made in Spa Belgium by Valentine Engel High quality mechanism with Jeweled movement barometer and thermometer (in centigrade) Unusual de...
Category

1910s Belgian Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Walnut

Pompeiian Bronze Co Bronze Clad Figural Bookends Circa 1920's
Located in Toledo, OH
Pompeiian Bronze Co bronze clad figural bookends circa 1920's. Depiction of a seated man with a book.
Category

1920s North American Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Large Sculpture in Patinated Bronze by Henri Vidal, Circa 1900, Art Nouveau.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Large sculpture in patinated bronze by Henri Vidal, circa 1900, Art Nouveau period. Patinated bronze sculpture by the sculptor Henri Vidal, Art Nouveau period, circa 1900. H: 100cm,...
Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Antique French Art Nouveau Silvered Bronze Sculpture or Charger
Located in Houston, TX
Antique French Art Nouveau silvered bronze sculpture or charger. A beautiful well detailed large period French Art Nouveau silvered bronze tra...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Pair of Biscuit Sculptures, 1900, on an Attractive Gilded Carved Wood Base.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Pair of biscuit sculptures, 1900, on an attractive gilded carved wood base. A pair of biscuit sculptures of dancers in Art Nouveau dress, 1900, on a...
Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Late 19th Century Bronze Entitled 'La Verité Meconnue' by Aime-Jules Dalou
Located in London, GB
An enigmatic late 19th Century bronze study of a seated female nude leaning on her knees, hiding her face, on integral naturalistic canted rectangular base, signed to one side DALOU above the cracked mirror (facing to the rear), the opposing side marked Susse Fres Edts the rear with Susse Freres pastille flanked by the letters H P and S. The title of this subject translates as 'The Truth Revealed' and refers to the young woman inconsolable having seen her true reflection in a mirror, which she has dropped and lies broken on the hard floor. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Height: 14 cm Width: 12 cm Depth: 8 cm Condition: Excellent Original Condition Circa: 1890 Foundry: Susse Frères Paris Materials: Bronze SKU: 8790 ABOUT Aimé-Jules Dalou...
Category

19th Century French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Monumental Plaster Sculpture
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This large work of art molded during the early 1900's is signed by the artist. The winged bearded man is in good condition for its age, and on a solid wood structure. The sculpture...
Category

1910s French Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Plaster, Wood

"La Lisette" Bronze by Joanny Durand
By Joanny Durand
Located in High Point, NC
This bronze is named "La Lisette" and is signed by the artist, Joanny Durand. He was born in July 1886 at Boen-sur-Lignon, studied engraving locally, and then trained in Paris at th...
Category

1910s French Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Antique Austrian Art Nouveau Patinated Terracotta Sculpture of Two Dancing Women
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This large antique sculpture is possibly signed by an unknown artist, or titled and originated from Austria and dating to approximately 1890 and done in the period Art Nouveau style....
Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

JEF LAMBEAUX (1852 – 1908) Bronze Statue "THE DANCER WITH CASTANETS"
Located in Ixelles, BE
JEF LAMBEAUX (1852 – 1908) Bronze Statue "THE DANCER WITH CASTANETS" . Imagine a sculpture that transcends mere representation to capture the very essence of movement and passion. "...
Category

19th Century Belgian Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Mid Century Modern/Art Nouveau , Bronze , pair , Lady Figurines
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Highly detailed lost wax Bronze castings made after the Original pieces as a pair of Elegant dressed Lady's all finished in multi-patinas and mounted on absolute Black marble bases ...
Category

1990s American Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

German Black Bronze white marble Art Nouveau sculpture, woman blowing bubles
By Thomas Germany
Located in Valladolid, ES
Very beautiful and refined antique dark patinated solid bronze sculpture depicting a naked woman blowing bubbles It is of German origin and dates from around 1920. Unsigned. This b...
Category

1920s German Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Art Deco Spelter Sculpture, Signed: Prof. R. Volpi 2359 Made in Belgium
Located in Verviers, BE
Art Deco His studio was located in Schaerbeek (Belgium), where he worked as a sculptor for a company called "Carli et Fréres". Modeled and cast as two Two Geese with a Child Beautif...
Category

1920s Belgian Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Spelter

Wall-Mounted Weather Station in Art Nouveau Style Carved Walnut 1910s
By A. de Lambert
Located in Verviers, BE
Wall-mounted weather station in carved walnut made in Belgium by A. de Lambert. High quality mechanism with jeweled movement barometer and thermometer (in centigrade) Unusual design with high relief C-scrolls and flowers in Rococo style (from theArt Nouveau' period) with a lovely walnut case/. Equipment in full working order. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with any further questions.

 With best wishes, Geert 
Early Bird Gallery...
Category

1910s Belgian Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Walnut

Bronze Sculptural Thermometer, Long Bodied Lady, Artist Signed and Dated 1911
Located in Petaluma, CA
It wasn't easy trying to title this bronze in one sentence. The first thing about it to my eye is the wonderful whimsy displayed. The fact that it's a thermometer just adds to the jo...
Category

1910s American Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Art Nouveau Bronzevase Loiseau-Rousseau
Located in Aachen, DE
Schwere patinierte Jugendstil-Bronzevase von Paul Louis Émile Loiseau-Rousseau um 1905 (* 20. April 1861 in Paris, Frankreich; † 1927 ebenda), signiert.
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

French Porcelain Fortuna Goddess Tyche Statue, Art Nouveau, 20th Century
Located in Lisbon, PT
An Art Nouveau stunning French porcelain statue of the goddess of Fortune, Tyche, depicting the goddess holding a cornucopia overflowing with gold coins, surrounded by a cherubim and...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Porcelain

Ceramic figure of Gorka Geza, 1929
Located in Mariano Del Friuli, GO
Fabulous figure of Hungarian artist Gorka Geza. First series as noted by the much more sloping head than later productions. Branded. Without any damage or repair. EXCELLENT condition!!!
Category

1920s Hungarian Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic

Erna Kopriva Pottery Sculpture/Terracotta , Figure for Wiener Werkstatte
By Erna Kopriva, Wiener Werkstätte
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great sample of the well known Austrian artist, Erna Kopriva. She was assistant of Joseph Hoffman and worked at Wiener Werkstatte . Similar pieces are now...
Category

1920s Austrian Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

Jugendstil German Bronze Sculpture of a Nude Woman with Seashell by Lauchhammer
By Lauchhammer
Located in North Miami, FL
Early 20th century Jugendstil german patinated bronze Sculpture 'Nude woman with Braids and Seashell' by Lauchhammer Bildguss Foundry By: Lauchhammer Bildguss Foundry Material: bron...
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Early 20th Century German Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Metal

Rebecca Bust in Patinated Plaster, Art Nouveau Period, Signed Pirolli
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Rebecca bust in patinated plaster, Art Nouveau period, signed Pirolli.
Category

Early 1900s European Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Plaster

“Celuy Qui Fut Pris”, a Rare Art Nouveau Bronze Sculpture by André Clemencin
By Francois Andre Clemencin
Located in Shippensburg, PA
FRANÇOIS ANDRÉ CLÉMENCIN French, 1878-1950 "Celuy qui fut pris" (The One Who Was Taken) Patinated bronze Signed on base "A. Clemencin" cold-stamped "46" and "32" and "FRANCE" in ov...
Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Enrico Mazzolani Ceramic Female figure, Italy, 1930s
Located in Milan, IT
Enrico Mazzolani ceramic female figure, Italy, 1930s.
Category

1920s Italian Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Maiolica

Art Nouveau Bronze Sculpture Entitled "Cleopatra and Asp" by Schnauder
By Richard Georg Schnauder
Located in London, GB
A very fine early 20th Century gilt bronze figure of the famous Cleopatra with a snake wrapped around her wrist drinking from a bowl. Exhibiting fine colour and excellent hand fi...
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Early 20th Century German Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

"Triumphant Man, " Spectacular Gilded Bronze Trophy Cup w/ Male Nude, Christofle
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Large and spectacular, this gilded bronze trophy cup in the Art Nouveau style was sculpted by Eugène Bourgouin for Christofle, and is richly decorated wi...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

James Gabbert (American, B. 1952) Bronze Of A Woman, "Dusk", Signed
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Bronze figure of a barefoot woman emitting from a flower with her hair and fold of her dress in the air. The piece has a very fine movement and lightness. Signed on base.Presented on...
Category

20th Century American Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Stone, Bronze

Late 19th Century Art Nouveau French Bronze entitled "Boy and Girl"
Located in London, GB
A charming pair of late 19th Century bronze studies of a two young children one holding a bowl whilst the other holds a bird with excellent hand chased surface detail and very fine r...
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Late 19th Century French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Goebel Porcelain Hand Painted Bird Figurine of Baltimore Oriole
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a Goebel porcelain figurine of a large bird. It depicts a very well done hand painted Baltimore Oriole. The bird is standing up over a branch...
Category

20th Century German Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Porcelain

19th Century Art Nouveau Bronze Entitled "Venus & Cupid" by Jean Sul-Abadie
By Jean Abadie
Located in London, GB
A very fine bronze study of Venus taking an arrow from Cupid her son, who at times would shoot his arrows without meaning or reason into the hearts of men, igniting their desire. Exhibiting excellent rich brown patina and good detail, signed Sul Abadie and stamped. Additional information Height: 93 cm Condition: excellent condition Circa: 1885 Materials: bronze & marble SKU: 4979 ABOUT Jean Sul-Abadie Jean Sul-Abadie (Born 1850 ~ Died 15th April 1890) was a French artist, a pupil of Jouffroy and Falguière. Specialising in bronze sculpting in the Art Nouveau style. He made his Salon debut in 1872. Cupid & Venus Different tales exist about the origin of Venus and Cupid. Some say that Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, had a love affair with Mars, the god of war. Out of this relationship, Cupid was born. In the following painting you see Venus with Mars, who is being disarmed by Cupid. Cupid has attributes from both of his parents. Like his mother he is considered to be the god of love, or more precisely, the god of falling in love. He is portrayed as an innocent little child with bow and arrows. He shoots arrows to the heart, and awakening a love that you’re powerless to resist. In classical mythology, Cupid (Latin Cupido, meaning “desire”) is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus and the war god Mars, and is known in Latin also as Amor (“Love”). His Greek counterpart is Eros. Although Eros is in Classical Greek art as a slender winged youth, during the Hellenistic period, he was increasingly portrayed as a chubby boy. During this time, his iconography acquired the bow and arrow that represent his source of power: a person, or even a deity, who is shot by Cupid’s arrow is filled with uncontrollable desire. In myths, Cupid is a minor character who serves mostly to set the plot in motion. He is a main character only in the tale of Cupid and Psyche, when wounded by his own weapons he experiences the ordeal of love. Although other extended stories are not told about him, his tradition is rich in poetic themes and visual scenarios, such as “Love conquers all” and the retaliatory punishment or torture of Cupid. In art, Cupid often appears in multiples as the Amores, or amoriniin the later terminology of art history, the equivalent of the Greek erotes. Cupids are a frequent motif of both Roman art and later Western art of the classical tradition. In the 15th century, the iconography of Cupid starts to become indistinguishable from the putto. Cupid continued to be a popular figure in the Middle Ages, when under Christian influence he often had a dual nature as Heavenly and Earthly love. In the Renaissance, a renewed interest in classical philosophy endowed him with complex allegorical meanings. In contemporary popular culture, Cupid is shown drawing his bow to inspire romantic love, often as an icon of Valentine’s Day. Venus is the Roman goddess whose functions encompassed love, beauty, sex, fertility, prosperity, victory, and desire. In Roman mythology, she was the mother of the Roman people through her son, Aeneas, who survived the fall of Troy...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Breccia Marble, Bronze

Christofle & R Rozet, Agricultural Trophy in Silver Bronze, Early 20th Century
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Green marble base, the label of the agricultural price to which it corresponded is missing The bronze is signed R Rozet (René, 1859-1939) and Christofle & Cie, who collaborated at...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Bronze Sculpture Motive Fisherman
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Bronze sculpture motive Fisherman Origin Italy 20th century circa 1900 partina brown unsigned- natural wear lost wax technique. Art nouveau, modernist art or modernism was an interna...
Category

Early 1900s Italian Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Sculpture Motive Fisherman
Bronze Sculpture Motive Fisherman
$688 Sale Price
20% Off
"Lone Cliff in the Sea, " Art Nouveau Sculpture with Nudes by Edstrom, Sweden
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Clearly showing the influence of Auguste Rodin and the Art Nouveau movement, this remarkable bronze was sculpted by David Edstrom, a Swedish American artist. Here, a nude male figure is perched on the edge of a cliff, looking heavenward as a nude mermaid lies below, nude and full of invitation. Edstrom, the quintessential example of the tortured artist...
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Early 1900s Swedish Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

19th Century Art Nouveau Pair of French Bronze Mermen Candlesticks
Located in London, GB
A highly decorAtive pair of late 19th Century bronze candlesticks with two mermen knelt on bronze tripods ornately decorated holding up the candle holders with excellent hand chased ...
Category

Late 19th Century French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Bronze "Putto Jug" by Georges Van De Voorde
Located in London, GB
A charming early 20th Century bronze vase decorated with a dragon appearing from a lake, its body in the of the vase handle and a putto pearing round the corner with excellent colour...
Category

Early 20th Century Belgian Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Edgardo Simone Nude Figurative Sculpture "THE KISS"
Located in Bloomfield Hills, MI
SALE ONE WEEK ONLY Edgardo Simone (Italian/American, 1890-1948) The Kiss patinated plaster casting sculpture for kissing nudes fountain sculpture signed to top of base. Classically trained in Italy at the Beaux Arts Academy in Rome from 1906 to 1913, Edgardo Simone became a famous sculptor in Italy and the United States using mediums of terracotta, ceramic, bronze, and plaster. He earned a Doctorate of Design and Sculpture at the Academy and then emigrated to the United States where he worked in New York, Chicago and southern California. His style was influenced by Art Nouveau, Art Deco and other modernist influences. In Italy he had received three times the Croix de Guerre and was decorated by King Victor Emmanuel II and Queen Margherita. Before moving to America, he had much recognition in Italy. He had created war, funeral and city monuments in twenty-six Italian cities. When he arrived in New York City, one of the newspapers carried a headline: "Italy's greatest Sculptor Arrives in New York." In New York, Simone became prominent in society and did many portrait busts including of Thomas Edison, John J. Pershing, Henry Ford and Louis Brandeis...
Category

Early 20th Century North American Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Plaster

Antique French Lost Wax Cast Bronze Hand Sculpture of Richard Hudnut
Located in London, GB
For sale a magnificent early 20th Century gilt bronze sculpture, cast using the Lost Wax (in French, 'Cire Perdue') process. This fine sculpture is a cast of Richard Alexander Hudnut's hand and was produced by the renowned Montagutelli Frères foundry in Paris in 1912. The sculpture is in very good vintage condition, signed "Richard Alexander Hudnut 1912" and carries the oval "Montagutelli Freres Paris Cire Perdue" foundry stamp to the underside. Richard Alexander Hudnut (1856-1928) was an American businessman recognised as being the first American to achieve international success in cosmetics manufacturing. After graduating from Princeton University, he toured France and returned with the idea of introducing French-style perfumes and cosmetics to American women. The Richard Hudnut company once maintained separate US and European headquarters on Fifth Avenue in New York City and on the Rue de la Paix in Paris, respectively. Although his fortune had been built around cosmetics and beauty products...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

French Art Nouveau Ceramic Inkwell by Carabin
Located in New York, NY
A French Art Nouveau "Femme à la Coloquinte," glazed ceramic inkwell by François-Rupert Carabin. The inkwell feature a nude woman embracing an unusually large gourd, circa 1900. A s...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Ceramic

Solid Bronze Figurative Allegorical Art Nouveau with him and her Italy 1910
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Solid Bronze Figurative Allegorical Art Nouveau with him and her Italy 1910
Category

1910s Italian Vintage Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Alexandre Descatoire, Fauna Terracotta, Early 20th Century
By Alexandre Descatoire
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Terracotta sculpture depicting a fauna with a large beard, pointed ears and nascent horns. Terracotta signed by French artist Alexandre Descatoire (1874-1949) Alexandre Descatoire studied with André-Louis-Adolphe Laoust and then with Gabriel-Jules Thomas at the Beaux-arts in Paris; he became a teacher of this university in 1934 He won 2nd grand prix of Rome in 1902 and became a member of the Academie Beaux-arts in 1939. Member of Salon des artistes français, he has won many medals, and even a scholarship to travel in 1905 His creations are mostly dedicated to WW1 soldiers...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

Carrara Marble Bust Sculpture Signed H. Moreau, France, circa 1890
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Carrara marble bust sculpture signed H. Moreau, France, circa 1890.
Category

1890s French Antique Art Nouveau Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Carrara Marble

Art Nouveau figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Art Nouveau figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the Late 20th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage figurative sculptures created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, bronze and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Art Nouveau figurative sculptures made in a specific country, there are Europe, France, and Austria pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original figurative sculptures, popular names associated with this style include Meissen Porcelain, Franz Bergmann, Goebel Company, and Rosenthal. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for figurative sculptures differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $25 and tops out at $160,819 while the average work can sell for $3,499.

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