Concrete Folk Art

Oil on panel depicting a man in a horse-drawn carriage by acclaimed outsider artist, Bruno Del Favero (b. Italy 1910, d. USA 1995), circa 1970. Fine example showcasing Del Favero's ...

A rare large and most impressive rustic midcentury Japanese Ainu hand carved Ussuri Brown Bear sculpture. Indigenous Ainu Peoples, probably Ashikawa, Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, mid-20th century, anonymous artist. This exceptional example of traditional Kibori Kuma (木彫り熊) was finely hand carved, chiseled, sculpted and painted from a massive block of solid Japanese hardwood, using old primitive techniques with customized knives and chisels, the artisan would sit on the hut floor, using their feet as a vice to hold the block of wood, carefully manipulating and turning, wood chips flying, skillfully carving to create this beautiful piece of art! This massive scale realistic rendering showcases the artisan's exemplary skills, workmanship, and artistry, the bears aggressive naturalistic appearance comes to life, evoking power, strength, and natural bounty, lending to its fierce dramatic presence. Modeled as a wild Ussuri brown bear standing on four legs, head slightly tilted up as if about to expel a ferocious roaring growl, having inset black glass eyes, mouth agape with jagged teeth exposed, the bold muscular body with distinct richly textured chip-carved fur, this sculpture captures the essence of Ainu reverence for nature, this sacred animal, and their deep connection to the land. No apparent signatures, typical of folk art work. - DIMENSIONS: (approx) 19.5" Wide x 11.375" Tall x 13.25" Deep; Wight: 18.75lbs - HISTORY / BACKGROUND: The Ainu are an aboriginal hunter/gatherer/fisher people who once inhabited many of the islands that bound the southern half of the Sea of Okhotsk north of the main Japanese island of Honshu and Southern Russia. Their land was contested by the Japanese Empire and the USSR for centuries, with the Meiji era Japan colonisation of Hokkaido taking place in the 19th century. Colonisation dispossessed the native Ainu people of their lands and property. Widespread discrimination enforced against them, including their forced relocation into mountain areas and the prohibition of the use of the Ainu language decimated their economy with the eventual aim of the extinction of Ainu culture and its replacement by Yamato Japanese culture. The history of the Ainu bear...

Great vintage disco ball made of mosaic glass tiles. Rare example with rows of different colors of glass. Yellow, mirror, blue, red and green throug...

A great looking hand carved original wooden Folk Art Bear Statue. A great piece for a suitable ambiance in a Cabin room or the office of a Hunter or Woodsman. More than likely one of...

Mosaic tile art piece by California ceramicist Frank Matranga, c.1960s, USA. This piece is composed of varying shaped glazed ceramic tiles to create a mosaic cityscape. The colors ra...

Hand carved wood sculpture of carousel ostrich.

The elegant features of the young Antinous, a favorite of beloved Roman emperor Hadrian, are masterfully captured with exceptional richness in this plaster bust of the ancient Greek hero...

For the collector in mind. This Modern crafted and absurdly over complicated design is just fantastic. One of a kind and beautifully executed, utilizing master joinery techniques. Having all the hallmarks of 1970.s art /design at its climax. Made from black walnut and inset cork details this sculpture has mounted gears on the outside if the box. When turing the crank the dowel pin releases the lock enabling you to open the top. Inside the box reveals a high pile carpet...

A great looking hand carved original wooden Folk Art Bear head wall decoration. A great piece for a suitable ambiance in a trophy room or the office of a...

This is a plaster bust reproducing the Torso Gaddi, the famous fragmentary sculpture displayed in the Uffizi Museums in Florence, which inspired many great artists of the Renaissance, including Michelangelo. The piece, handcrafted by the skilled artists of Galleria Romanelli...

Exquisite handcrafted Middle Eastern mosaic marquetry inlaid walnut wood box. Small box intricately decorated with Moorish motif designs which h...

Vintage Sculpture of an American Eagle Carved in Seri Ironwood. Vintage hand carved Ironwood Southwestern seri sculpture of an Eagle. Dimensions: 5.5" x 3.5". circa 1970. Ironwood hand carved eagle or falcon...