Mid-century abstract wooden sculpture in wenge, signed, on stand, 53.5 cm, 1970s

This abstract mid-century sculpture is carved entirely from wenge, a very dense and heavy Central African hardwood that was particularly prized in furniture and object design during the 1960s and 70s. It is recognizable by its striking figure of dark, almost black veins set in a light to medium brown ground, which appears as fine longitudinal stripes or as a densely speckled pattern depending on the direction of the cut. The organic, biomorphic formal language with a pierced opening and softly rounded recesses is firmly rooted in the American mid-century modernism of the 1960s, which translated the ideas of Barbara Hepworth and Hans Arp into slender wooden sculptures raised on rods. The piece itself was made in the 1970s. It is marked on top of the base with a punched monogram that reads as "V." with an angular character set above it. As we cannot attribute the mark to an artist with certainty, we deliberately do not name one.

The flat panel, carved from a single piece, has a calmly curving silhouette: on one side the contour rises in a soft arc to a rounded peak, below it an oval opening pierces the body, while a semicircular recess is cut into the opposite edge. The surface is gently domed and stepped into a soft ridge towards the higher side, so that light and shadow move across it differently from every angle. The form is carried by two slender round rods, also in wenge, set into a curved, semicircular base, holding the panel as if floating above the surface. The silky matte finish lets the grain shimmer warmly between honey brown, chocolate brown and near black and makes the piece truly one of a kind.

As a sculptural focal point, the wooden sculpture works well on a sideboard, mantelpiece, desk or shelf and suits a mid-century or vintage interior just as well as contemporary decor with natural materials, linen and warm wood tones. The sculpture measures 53.5 cm in height, 19 cm in width and 13.5 cm in depth at the base and is in very good condition with only slight signs of wear commensurate with age.