(Abstract carved sculpture, 2 elements)

Robert Herzog

Sculptor/woodworker Robert Herzog used two large pieces of walnut to create this art-nouveau related abstract composition. The forms seem to flow, merging into each other and then receding. The two elements are separated using the same energy as the space between them starts narrow and then widens and meanders, only to close on each other again and drift away at the top, never touching. A metaphor for life, relationships, work, all of the preceding, and more. Or just a tactile object of interest to admire.

The piece is large, two and one half by almost three feet, with a depth of over five inches, mounted on a light wood base and weighing 45 pounds. The artist's signature and the date are incised into the walnut on the right panel.

Woodworker, painter, sculptor, and designer Robert Herzog was born in 1944 and is primarily known for collaborative works designed with his wife, Joanne Herzog in California in the 1970s and 80s. Together they made carved wood furniture, accessories, and sculptures that emulated the Art Nouveau style. Despite a prolific output as evidenced by online auction sales, the pair have almost no recorded career or exhibition information readily available. Robert Herzog is now based in Germany where he uses traditional methods to restore antique flooring.