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Natural ‘Gogotte’ Sculpture from Oligocene
$68,521.03
£50,000
€58,333.12
CA$93,856.69
A$104,389.12
CHF 54,508.76
MX$1,270,304.60
NOK 696,160
SEK 652,875.26
DKK 435,362.44
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About the Item
This seemingly striking sculpture, composed of thick swirls and folds, is in fact an entirely natural formation. Formed some 30 million years ago in the Oligocene sand dunes of Fontainebleau, France, it is a beautifully aesthetic example of a sandstone concretion known as a ‘gogotte’. Mounted on a simple black base, it is an aesthetic reminder of the forces of nature.
Gogottes are sandstone concretions formed when silica-rich groundwater slowly percolates through ultra-fine sand, sculpted over millennia by subtle currents into the undulating shapes seen here. Endeavouring to understand these remarkable geological specimens, it is natural to experience pareidolia, and to see in their folds a certain familiarity; here a globe-like shape, a fertility idol or Henry Moore sculpture.
Blurring the line between art and nature, this formation, with its sparkling surface and bold silhouette, embodies the meaning intended by the word terribilità. As a term applied by contemporaries to Michelangelo’s sculptures, it denotes the sheer awe felt at the magnificence of an object’s creation. ‘Gogottes’ fulfill this in every way. It is a work of art, comparable to the sculptures of great artists, yet it is shaped entirely by the hands of Nature.
Provenance:
Discovered in the sand dunes of Fontainebleau, France, 1989-1994.
Please note that this item is a work of art and is thus exempt from US reciprocal tariffs.
ArtAncient are dealers in rare wonders from the formation of the Solar System to late antiquity, discovering, studying and placing objects in extraordinary collections. Do not hesitate to contact us for more details on this piece.
- Dimensions:Height: 24.81 in (63 cm)Width: 17.33 in (44 cm)Depth: 8.67 in (22 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 30 million years old
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: 428091stDibs: LU1052246013732
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A magnificent example of a gogotte formation composed of thick swirls and folds of sparkling sandstone. Discovered in the Oligocene sand dunes of Fontainebleau, France, formed circa 30 million years before present or later.
The incredible, almost otherworldly appearance of gogottes may easily be mistaken for the work of a most talented artist. In fact, these sandstone sculptures are entirely natural in origin. They have been found in multiple locations but those from Fontainebleau, such as the present example, are the most remarkable. Thirty-five million years ago, a sea covered what is now the forest of Fontainebleau, and dunes of exceptionally fine and homogenous sand formed. As silica-rich water filtered through this sand, it turned into stone. The flow of water finely modelled the sandstone into the aesthetic concretions we now know as gogottes. These are rare and are only found sporadically several metres deep into the ground. They owe their sparkling white appearance to the extreme and unmatched purity of the Fontainebleau sand, sometimes reaching a composition of 99.9% silica. Each of them is unique – a masterpiece slowly fashioned by the hands of Nature.
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