Lot 21: ERIC GOULDER

THE WOMAN
inscribed Goulder, dated © 2008 and numbered 1/5

95 by 70 by 68cm., 37 3/8 by 27 5/8 by 26 3/4 in.

bronze

Conceived in 2008 and cast in bronze in an edition of 5 plus three artist's proofs.

Born in 1964 in Cleveland, Ohio, Eric Goulder studied at Amherst College and the New York Academy of Art. His life-sized sculptures are entirely figurative, often depicting male and female full-length nudes and portrait busts. The nudes are typically represented as solitary, contemplative figures which present varied, often contradictory meanings and emotions when viewed from different angles. Goulder works primarily in bronze, silver, marble and lead crystal to create pieces which are incredibly sensuous and delicate, exhibiting an unfaltering attention to detail.

Fundamental to the conception of Goulder's sculptures is the theme of life's inherent contradictions. The female nudes, in particular the present piece, The Woman, often display great poise and composure; their suggestion of movement is controlled rather than spontaneous, and there is great emphasis on the harmony between internal and external forces. The delicate pose and elegant contours are deeply sensuous, whilst also evoking a sense of fragility, suffering and despair.

Goulder's highly naturalistic yet simplified treatment of his figures maintains an ongoing dialogue with sculptural tradition, encompassing the dynamism of Gian Lorenzo Bernini and the elegance of Auguste Rodin. The verismo which characterises his creations distinguishes them entirely from the works of other contemporary figurative sculptors; his focus on everyday subjects, combined with an uncanny realism, sense of romantic melodrama and flawless, polished appearance, has become the feature for which Goulder's sculptures are renowned. Regarding the present work, the artist has commented that 'she sits on display like an object, confronting the viewer as if they were intruding on her. Her manner is both alluring and defiant.'