Work

Gudmar Olovson was an accomplished sculptor, whose works best reached their potential in monumental form. His preferred medium was the lost wax (cire perdue) bronze, while he also produced an extensive collection of drawings, lithographs, etchings and aquatints.

Photographer: Christer Strömholm
Photographer: Christer Strömholm

Gudmar Olovson

1936 - 2017

Gudmar Olovson (1936-2017), one of Europe’s most prominent sculptors of the late 20th century, was born in Sweden and spent almost 60 years of his life in Paris. Gudmar grew up in Stockholm and attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. After living briefly in Florence and Rome, he settled in Paris in 1959, in a studio at Cité Universitaire. A year later he rented a studio in Montparnasse, where he started making himself a name as sculptor and portraitist.

His principal mentor was renowned sculptor Jean Carton. He was a founding member of "Le Groupe des Neuf", created in 1963, which fervently defended figurative and non-academic sculpture in a world then dominated by abstract and politicized art. Sculptors Paul Cornet, Jean Osouf and Gunnar Nilsson also had a significant influence on the young artist's development. Gudmar shared a passion for French gothic art, the cathedrals and early Renaissance with a younger generation of sculptors, including Charles Auffret and René Babin.

Château de Cheverny

France

Since 2019, the Château de Cheverny’s half a million yearly visitors can admire a Garden of Love in the famous castle’s beautiful park, an exceptional and permanent installation of six monumental bronzes by Gudmar Olovson.

Les Deux Arbres, 1966<br>Epreuve en bronze, no. 4/8<br>Fonte à la cire perdue, Fonderie de Coubertin<br>Signé "Gudmar"<br>H. 254 cm

Les Deux Arbres, 1966
Epreuve en bronze, no. 4/8
Fonte à la cire perdue, Fonderie de Coubertin
Signé "Gudmar"
H. 254 cm

Les Deux Soeurs, 1973<br>Epreuve en bronze, no. 3/8<br>Fonte à la cire perdue, Fonderie de Coubertin<br>Signé "Gudmar"<br>H. 260 cm

Les Deux Soeurs, 1973
Epreuve en bronze, no. 3/8
Fonte à la cire perdue, Fonderie de Coubertin
Signé "Gudmar"
H. 260 cm

la Vague, 2015<br>Epreuve en bronze, no.<br>1/8 Fonte au sable, Bergmans Konstgjuteri<br>Signé "Gudmar"<br>H. 230 cm

la Vague, 2015
Epreuve en bronze, no.
1/8 Fonte au sable, Bergmans Konstgjuteri
Signé "Gudmar"
H. 230 cm

L'Aurore, 1975<br>Epreuve en bronze, no. 1/8<br>Fonte au sable, Petterson Konstgjuteri<br>Signé "Gudmar"<br>H. 240 cm

L'Aurore, 1975
Epreuve en bronze, no. 1/8
Fonte au sable, Petterson Konstgjuteri
Signé "Gudmar"
H. 240 cm

La Chute, 1980<br>Epreuve en bronze, no. 1/8<br>Fonte au sable, Petterson Konstgjuteri<br>Signé "Gudmar"<br>H. 220 cm

La Chute, 1980
Epreuve en bronze, no. 1/8
Fonte au sable, Petterson Konstgjuteri
Signé "Gudmar"
H. 220 cm

Prélude, 1990<br>Epreuve en bronze, no. 5/8<br>Fonte à la cire perdue, Fonderie de Coubertin<br>Signé "Gudmar"<br>H. 217 cm

Prélude, 1990
Epreuve en bronze, no. 5/8
Fonte à la cire perdue, Fonderie de Coubertin
Signé "Gudmar"
H. 217 cm

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