Kindly Geppetto
2001
A whimsical bronze sculpture by Tom Otterness, *Kindly Geppetto* (2001) depicts a rotund, cartoonish figure rendered in the artist's signature playful style. The work draws on the beloved fairy tale character of the woodcarver who brought Pinocchio to life, reimagined through Otterness's lens of accessible, populist storytelling. Cast in bronze, the piece balances a sense of warmth and humor with the enduring weight and permanence of its material.
- Medium
- bronze
- Dimensions
- Location
- Phillips, Salt Lake City, UT
- Spotted At
- Auction House · PhillipsView on map
Notes
Execution: Executed in 2001, in the United States, this work is number 2 from an edition of 6, plus 3 artist’s proofs. Exhibition History: New York, Marlborough Gallery, ;
🔨 Auction Lot
Modern & Contemporary Art: Online Auction
February 24, 2026
Estimate: $40,000 to $60,000
Sold: $33,540
Lot 12
Artists in conversation
Jeff Koons
American · b. 1955
Koons similarly employs oversized, cartoonish figurative sculpture in polished or cast materials that blend high art with popular culture and childhood iconography. His work shares the same playful accessibility and whimsical narrative quality found in Kindly Geppetto.
Niki de Saint Phalle
French · b. 1930
Saint Phalle created bold, rotund figurative sculptures with a joyful and populist sensibility very close to Otterness's approach, often placing them in public spaces to engage broad audiences. Her rounded cartoonish figures and fairytale inspired imagery parallel the warmth and humor of Kindly Geppetto.
Yoshitomo Nara
Japanese · b. 1959
Nara produces three dimensional figurative works featuring simplified, childlike characters that carry an undercurrent of emotional storytelling beneath their deceptively cute surfaces. This balance of whimsy, accessible figuration, and deeper narrative resonance closely mirrors the qualities Otterness achieves in Kindly Geppetto.
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