Bidspirit auction | Moshe Sternschuss

Moshe Sternschuss - Abstract Biblical Figure. An impressive bronze sculpture by the important Israeli sculptor Moshe Sternschuss. According to the provenance of this work, one example is held in the collection of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art (see accompanying photographs). This sculpture comes from the collection of Amelia and Salman of Beverly Hills, California. Amelia, a Jewish collector with a deep appreciation for Israeli art, acquired the sculpture directly from Moshe Sternschuss himself. She recounted that the artist told her that only two examples of this sculpture existed: one in the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the other in her own collection. Over the years, I have encountered another version of this sculpture, although it lacked the refinement and quality of the present work. This has led me to believe that it may have been a later cast, possibly produced after the artist's lifetime. The present sculpture, however, stands apart in both execution and provenance. One of the pioneers of modern sculpture in the Land of Israel, Moshe Sternschuss played a crucial role in shaping the development of Israeli sculpture during the twentieth century. In this work, titled Biblical Figure, he presents a stylized human form characterized by flowing, harmonious lines that balance figurative representation with delicate abstraction. The figure rises in an elegant vertical movement, its body twisting with a quiet inner rhythm that conveys an almost spiritual presence. The composition emphasizes the tension between material and spirit—between the weight and permanence of bronze and the lightness and fluidity of form. Sternschuss achieves a remarkable sense of uplift and grace, transforming solid metal into a dynamic and lyrical expression. The richly worked surface displays an original patina in natural brown and greenish tones, enhancing the depth and vitality of the bronze. Light interacts beautifully with the sculpture's contours, revealing new nuances and subtleties from every angle. Medium: Cast bronze with original patina Base: Integral square base Dimensions (in accordance with the documented example): Height: approximately 60 cm Width: approximately 11.5 cm Depth: approximately 14 cm This sculpture represents an important stage in Sternschuss's artistic evolution: a transition from classical influences toward a distinctly local modernism. While maintaining a connection to the human figure, the artist simultaneously deconstructs and abstracts it, arriving at a sculptural language that is both timeless and unmistakably his own. The direct relationship between the concrete version held by the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and this bronze cast further reinforces the significance of the work as a material variation of one of the artist's central models. Combining rarity, distinguished provenance, and museum relevance, this is an exceptional opportunity to acquire an important example by one of the founding figures of modern Israeli sculpture.