Hugo Robus American, 1885-1964 Vase (Flower Vase; Enigmatic), 1928 Lot 84

Pricing & History

Sold for
Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
Sold Date
Source eBay

LOT 84 Seller's Estimate: USD 20,000 - 30,000 Hugo Robus American, 1885-1964 Vase ( Flower Vase ; Enigmatic ), 1928 Bronze 65 inches full height (Three separate pieces: body 58 inches high including tangs; head 7 1/2 inches; base 5 x 14 3/4 x 17 1/2 inches Unique Provenance: Private collection, Great Neck, NY By descent in the family Exhibited: New York, Sculptors Guild, 1942, no. 60, illus. New York, Grand Central Art Galleries, 1946, no. 8 New York, Sculpture Center, 1951 New York, Sculpture Center, 1953, no. 67 Minneapolis, MN, Walker Art Center, 1954, no. 141 Washington, DC, Corcoran Gallery, 1958, no. 3 American Federation of Arts, 1960-62, travelling exhibition (exhibited at Whitney Museum of American Art only, not listed in catalogue) New York, Zabriskie Gallery, 1966 Hugo Robus (1885-1964) , a travelling exhibition organized by the National Collection of Fine Arts, Washington, DC, National Collection of Fine Arts, Nov. 30, 1979-Mar. 2, 1980; Allentown, PA, Allentown Art Museum, Jul. 13-Sep. 14, 1980; Columbus, OH, Oct. 21-Nov. 30, 1980 Literature: Louise Cross, "The Sculpture of Huge Robus," Parnassus 6, no 4 (April 1934): 13, illus. "Theme of Freedom at Sculptors' Show," Villager , September 24, 1942 Robert M. Coates, "The Art Galleries: Getting Started," The New Yorker 18, no. 32, Sep. 26, 1942: 46 "Hugo Robus," See 10 , no. 1 (Jan. 1951): 33, illus. Lloyd Goodrich, foreword to Hugo Robus (1885-1964) (New York: Forum Gallery, 1966; Vase not in exhibition but illustrated in catalogue. Roberta Tarbell, Hugo Robus (1885-1964) , National Collection of Fine Arts, Washington, DC, pp. 69, 169, cat. no. 13, illus. Roberta Tarbell noted in the exhibition catalogue for Hugo Robus (1885-1964) : "The unique three-piece, life-size bronze casting was made at Bedi-Rassy, Inc. in August 1940. Fifteen months later, Robus sent just the head (see cat. no. 14) to the same foundry to have it case in bronze. Irene Robus noted in her diary that she had purchased fresh flowers for Vase for the opening of the outdoor exhibition of the Sculptors Guild on September 14, 1942." [ Hugo Robus (1885-1964) , p. 169] Dr. Tarbell further observed that Vase (fig. 35) is an example of how outrageous [Robus's] fantasies can be without in any way seeming to be out of the ordinary. Not only does he plant the solid female figure up to its ankles in the base, but he provides it with a detachable head -- the sculpture can be displayed with the unconcerned head properly supported on the neck, or carried nonchalantly hung from the placid -- but headless -- woman's index finger.... This is a visual conundrum for which Robus himself could not have supplied an answer; he also entitled the sculpture Enigmatic . It is sculpturally whole, even when humanly it has lost its reason." [Ibid., p. 69] C Condition Report: A shallow (1 inch) old abrasion in the base; a few very superficial surface scratches. Overall good condition. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Doyle New York shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. Payment:The buyer is responsible for paying the seller directly after winning the item. Details on accepted payment methods and where to send payment are provided in an invoice from the seller. Additional payment details from the seller: Accepted forms of payment include bank wire transfers, cash (in US currency up to $5,000), traveler's check (in US currency up to $5,000), money orders (in US currency up to $5,000), or personal check made payable in US dollars drawn on a US bank(up to $5,000), unless other arrangements are made with Purchaser Accounts. Shipping: The buyer is responsible for paying all shipping costs and arranging for shipping and delivery with the seller. Additional shipping details from the seller: Doyle New York does ... read more

Items in the Price Guide are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members’ research needs.

Flag item for content or copyright

If this item contains incorrect or inappropriate information please contact us here to flag it for review.

If you are the originator/copyright holder of this photo/item and would prefer it be excluded from our community, contact us here for removal.