MCM-073 — Leonardo Nierman (1932–2023) — Original Alabaster Sculpture on Black Marble Base, 30.5" H × 7.875" W, Signed, Mexican Modernist

An original alabaster sculpture on black marble base by Leonardo Nierman (Mexico City, 1932–2023) — one of Mexico's most celebrated modernist artists, and a sculptor whose work is held in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Detroit Institute of Arts; the Indianapolis Museum of Art; the Art Institute of Chicago; and the Vatican Gallery, among dozens of other institutions worldwide. Signed verso. Condition: excellent.

Nierman came to art through an unlikely path — two decades of violin study, a degree in physics and mathematics, and a profound grounding in color psychology — and the synthesis is evident in his work: sculpture that conveys rhythm, movement, and cosmic energy in solid material. His alabaster and marble carvings, like this example, channel his characteristic abstraction into organic, flowing forms that reward slow looking from every angle as light moves through the translucent stone.

Nierman passed away on 7 June 2023 at the age of 90 — just weeks after this piece was acquired at auction — making this a poignant and timely acquisition. His death at the close of a long and celebrated career will only strengthen collector and institutional interest in his work.

Details

• Artist: Leonardo Nierman (Mexican, 1932–2023)
• Medium: Alabaster sculpture on black marble base
• Dimensions: 30.5" H × 7.875" W
• Signed: Yes — signed verso
• Condition: Excellent

Provenance: New England Auctions, Branford CT, May 2023.