
Guitare
1926
Executed in iron in 1926, Guitare stands as a commanding example of Henri Laurens's mature Cubist sculpture, translating the fractured geometries of the movement's pictorial language into fully realized three-dimensional form. At 152 centimeters, the work commands physical presence, its iron construction lending a structural authority that amplifies the dynamic interplay of planes, voids, and volumes Laurens masterfully orchestrated throughout his career. The guitar, a subject deeply embedded in the Cubist canon through his close associations with Braque and Picasso, here becomes a vehicle for exploring how objects can be simultaneously analyzed and reconstructed, seen from multiple viewpoints collapsed into a single unified composition. Laurens worked extensively with iron and other industrial materials during this period, embracing their inherent weight and texture as expressive qualities rather than mere technical choices. In Guitare, the material's hardness and permanence contrast productively with the lyrical, almost musical rhythm of the interlocking forms, creating a tension that feels both intellectual and sensory. The work exemplifies the sculptor's rare ability to introduce warmth and organic movement into what might otherwise be a rigorously analytical formal exercise, distinguishing his practice from the more austere geometry of his contemporaries. Signed by the artist and presented by Bailly Gallery, this is a sculpture of genuine historical significance, originating from a decisive moment in the development of twentieth-century sculpture. Works of this scale, medium, and date by Laurens appear with considerable rarity on the market, making Guitare an exceptional acquisition for collectors committed to the foundational achievements of European modernism.
- Medium
- Iron
- Signed
- Yes
- Location
- BAILLY GALLERY, Paris
- Spotted At
- Gallery · BAILLY GALLERYView on map
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