Bronze Modernist Figurative Sculpture by Mercè Riba

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A fine modern brutalist bronze figurative sculpture by Mercè Riba.

This wonderful bronze sculpture resembles both Auguste Rodin's "Adam" and
… Read more A fine modern brutalist bronze figurative sculpture by Mercè Riba.

This wonderful bronze sculpture resembles both Auguste Rodin's "Adam" and
Jean Trucan's ("L'Aveugle et le Paralytique") "The Blind Man and the Lame" larger than life size sculptures.

This fine work of art depicting a recount of how two individuals collaborate in an effort to overcome their respective disabilities. The theme is first attested in Greek about the first century BCE. Stories with this feature occur in Asia, Europe and North America.

While visual representations of such artist works were common in Europe from the 16th century, literary fables incorporating the theme only began to emerge during the 18th century and the story was mistakenly claimed to be one of Aesop's Fables.

The adaptation by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian gave rise to the French idiom, "L'union de l'aveugle et le paralytique" ("the union of the blind man and the lame"), used ironically in reference to any unpromising partnership.

Western Asian sources
A group of four epigrams in the Greek Anthology concern a blind man and a lame. Plato the Younger states the situation in two wittily contrasting lines:

A blind man carried a lame man on his back, lending him his feet and borrowing from him his eyes. This figurative is the union of a man carrying another who is in distress. A stunning work of art!

This magnificent work of art is signed M. Riba.

Measures: 8 1/4" W x 7" D (at base) x approximately 14 3/8" High

About the artist:

Mercè Riba, sculptor and engraver, is probably one of the best figurative expressionist sculptors in Catalonia. Her bodies are perfectly sculpted, and transmit strongly energy, feelings, passions and all the deepest instincts of human beings. Her work combines beauty and character.

Born in Barcelona in 1952, she is the granddaughter a well-known poet named Carles Riba. She graduated in painting and sculpture at the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona (1975-1979) and studied sculpture at the Massana School of Barcelona during the period 1968-1976. From 1973 to date, she has exhibited in galleries in Belgium, USA, Spain, France... and has participated in art fairs (Art Fair Antwerp, Gent Art Fair, Art Fair Geneva Art Fair (Madrid), Artexpo (Barcelona). .. She has published 4 bibliophile books, and has been dedicated to teaching courses doing engraving.

She has accomplished public works for townships: the most featured ones are "Sant Jordi and dragon" 2011 (Figueres), "The llançador of Llamps" Ajuntament de Sau 2007 (Camallera), "Josep Irla" 2006, City Council of Girona, "Espriu" 2004 Sant Fruitós de Bages, "Crist mare de Deu i" 2001, Sant Antoni de Vilamajor.

Between 1978 and 1982 he joined the artist collective Taller Nou, with which he started in chalcographic techniques.. Since 1973 he has exhibited his works both within the country (Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Girona, Figueres, Berga, Vic and Cadaqués) and abroad (New York, Geneva, Stuttgart, Luxembourg, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines). Between 1980 and 1991 she taught engraving and modelling in Girona, Huesca, La Bisbal and the University of Barcelona. In 1979 she moved to Llampaies (Sau), where she lives.

Mercè Riba connects with a powerful, dense line of the history of art, which aims at man, from his individuality, and everything that conditions him, that marks him, that does not allow him to develop his inner powers. Her art, connects with a large part of historical expressionism, with that group of artists who were not moved by a concern with style, language, but who felt, feel, bound to their time. And not only are they a disturbing testimony, but they are also prosecutors, in an intimate trial, in which we all have our role.

Mercè Riba, art leans towards spectacle and emptiness, returns us to a moment in which intimate passion links with society and art. That's why this work strikes us internally. And it becomes a social conscience. See less