Odette
2009
Marble
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Details
Description
Martin Isler (American, 1926-2013).
White marble quarried from Vermont.
Described by the artist as a character from his favorite ballet, Swan Lake.
The marble sculptures of Martin Isler are byproducts of an artist's passion for art and archaeology. Martin studied painting in the mid-1960s at the Art Student League, at a time in which the artistic climate favored abstract painting over classical sculpting. He eventually succumbed to his lifelong desire to sculpt in stone and spent the next 50 years creating and learning. He learned the basics of carving from the written records of Italian Renaissance figure Giorgio Vasari, who outlined the technique used by Michelangelo.
The art of stone carving required the artist to maneuver exceptionally heavy blocks of stone himself, sparking in him a curiosity on how the Egyptians were able to construct pyramids. Having successfully moved a number of very large blocks using levers, pulleys, rollers and wedges, Martin eventually came to wonder how the ancient people accomplished their great feats of building with stone. Curiosity turned into obsession and Martin spent the next 25 years on travel, research and fieldwork, including a deep dive into the basement depositories of the British Museum.
In Odette, Martin carves the portrait bust of a character from his favorite ballet, Swan Lake. The textured nature of this stone contrasts against the smooth, polished finishes the artist employed. Carved in 2009 before the artist's passing in 2013, the work represents a culmination of the artist's craft and perfection. Martin's work has been displayed in numerous exhibitions and is held in a number of prestigious private collections throughout the U.S. His years of research on Ancient Egypt manifests in his 2001 publication, Sticks, Stones and Shadows, Building the Egyptian Pyramids.
Dimensions
Signature
Etched Isler '09
Provenance
Martin Isler
By descent to the present owner
Exhibition
North Salem, NY, Martin Isler, Exhibition of Sculpture, 1965-2012, October 21, 2012
Condition Report
Excellent condition with no sign of break or repair
Art Period
Movement/Style
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