Yves Lohe (1947) - XL Woman and Men

Remarkable and highly decorative figurative sculpture by French artist Yves Lohé (born 1947), executed in a warm gold/bronze-toned metal finish.

The work presents an elegant, strongly stylized couple. The female figure is depicted with a pronounced silhouette, high heels and a characteristic, almost theatrical posture of the arm and hand. Beside her stands a long, slender male figure in a suit. The two figures touch and subtly overlap, giving the composition both a sense of connection and motion.

Characteristic is the combination of elongated forms, angular contours and an expressively modeled surface. Especially from close up, the living skin of the metal is clearly visible: relief, small irregularities and traces of modeling ensure that light falls differently across the surface. This causes the appearance to range from deep bronze to bright gold, depending on the incidence of light.

The female figure is particularly expressively crafted. Her hairstyle, profile, clothing details and graceful hand gesture give her a pronounced cosmopolitan look. The openwork portions in the body make the silhouette lighter and reinforce the graphic character of the sculpture. The high heels and strongly emphasized body shapes further contribute to the elegant, almost fashionable appearance.

The male figure forms a beautiful counterpoint through his vertical posture. His elongated body, broad shoulders and abstractly rendered face create a powerful vertical line in the composition. Here too the surface is intentionally kept irregular, with a distinctly tangible handmade texture.

The sculpture rests on a rectangular gold/bronze-colored metal pedestal, allowing it to stand independently and stably. At the top of the pedestal there is an etched / engraved signature, visible in the detail photo.

Also the rear and side views are interesting: the work is not conceived solely as a flat frontal image, but has clear depth and modeling. The photos from different angles provide a good impression of this.

Condition

In my assessment the sculpture is in good vintage condition, with typical age and use-related signs. On the metal surface and the pedestal there are localized discolorations, patina, small scratches and irregularities visible. Part of the rough texture clearly belongs to the artistic execution and the casting/working process. See the extensive detail photos; they form an important part of the condition description.

Artist: Yves Lohé
Country: France
Subject: stylized man-woman / couple
Style: modern, figurative, expressionistically stylized
Material: gold/bronze-colored metal – exact alloy to be verified by the buyer
Signature: signed on the pedestal
Pedestal: rectangular metal base
Period: second half of the 20th century / exact dating unknown