Otakar Svec Sold at Auction Prices

Sculptor

Otakar Švec (23 November 1892 – 3 March 1955 a Czech sculptor best known for his colossal granite Monument to Stalin in Prague, Czech Republic.


A pupil of Josef Václav Myslbek and Jan Štursa, Švec had produced the important 1924 Futurist sculpture Sunbeam Motorcycle, now in the National Gallery in Prague, and at least three major public monuments to Tomáš Masaryk, Jan Hus, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The first two were destroyed by the Germans during World War II.

Švec entered the competition for the Stalin Monument in 1949, not expecting to win. The sculpture was unveiled on May Day, 1955, but Švec had earlier killed himself.

This world's largest representation of Stalin, dominating the city, stood for only seven years before the political climate changed. It was brought down in October 1962 with 800 kilograms (1,800 lb) of dynamite.

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      • OTAKAR SVEC (1892 - 1955) "THE MOTORCYCLIST" BROWN PATINA BRONZE SCULPTURE ON STONE BASE, SIGNED.
        Jun. 22, 2024

        OTAKAR SVEC (1892 - 1955) "THE MOTORCYCLIST" BROWN PATINA BRONZE SCULPTURE ON STONE BASE, SIGNED.

        Est: €4,000 - €6,000

        Otakar SVEC (1892 - 1955) "The Motorcyclist" Brown patina bronze sculpture on stone base, signed. - Weight: 7.36 kg - Shipping unavailable - Region: Tchequie - Sizes: H 175MM X L 330MM SUR SOCLE / H 150MM X L 305MM - At first glance: good condition

        Goldfield Auction
      • SVEC OTAKAR (CZECH 1892-1955) - Motocyklista (Slunecni paprsek) | Motorcyclist (Sun Ray)
        Nov. 28, 2022

        SVEC OTAKAR (CZECH 1892-1955) - Motocyklista (Slunecni paprsek) | Motorcyclist (Sun Ray)

        Est: -

        SVEC OTAKAR (CZECH 1892-1955) Motocyklista (Slunecni paprsek) | Motorcyclist (Sun Ray) bronz patinovany na mramorovem podstavci výška: 34 cm (celková výška 38 cm)

        Einszwei Gallery
      • OTAKAR ŠVEC (1892-1955) Slunecní paprsek - Motocyklista (Sunbeam - Motorcyc
        Mar. 24, 2021

        OTAKAR ŠVEC (1892-1955) Slunecní paprsek - Motocyklista (Sunbeam - Motorcyc

        Est: £15,000 - £25,000

        OTAKAR ŠVEC (1892-1955) Slunecní paprsek - Motocyklista (Sunbeam - Motorcyclist) bronze with green and brown patina Height: 44 7/8 in. (114 cm.) Length: 86 5/8 in. (220 cm.) Width: 36 in. (91.5 cm.)

        Christie's
      • OTAKAR ŠVEC (1892-1955) Závodní auto (Racing Car) bronze with brown patina
        Mar. 24, 2021

        OTAKAR ŠVEC (1892-1955) Závodní auto (Racing Car) bronze with brown patina

        Est: £2,000 - £3,000

        OTAKAR ŠVEC (1892-1955) Závodní auto (Racing Car) bronze with brown patina Height: 9 in. (22.8 cm.) Length: 21 ¼ in. (54 cm.) Width: 12 5/8 in. (32 cm.)

        Christie's
      • OTAKAR SVEC (1892-1955): VOSKOVEC AND WERICH
        Dec. 06, 2018

        OTAKAR SVEC (1892-1955): VOSKOVEC AND WERICH

        Est: -

        1932 27.5 cm (h) Polychrome plaster. This known double bust of Voskovec and Werich dates to the early 1930s, when Švec worked with the Liberated Theater. He was involved in the stage set for the anti-fascist play "The Ass and the Shadow" and later in film sets for the popular duo. Švec's first major (and internationally perhaps his most well-known) sculpture was his 1924 futurist sculpture of a man on a motorcycle titled "Sunbeam – Motorcyclist", which was a huge success at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925. The talented artist studied at Prague's School of Applied Arts and Academy of Fine Arts under Josef Václav Myslbek and Jan Štursa, where he initially worked as an assistant and, following Štursa's death in 1925, headed the studio for two years. In 1920 he lived in Paris, where he studied under Émile-Antoine Bourdelle. During World War II he created a series of statues of important Czech historical figures (Jan Neruda, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, Jan Hus). The 1950s proved fateful. Under pressure from the communist regime during the construction of the Stalin Monument and one year after his wife commit suicide, he, too, took his own life. Starting price: 180 000 CZK (7 059 EUR)

        Arthouse Hejtmánek
      • Otakar Švec, Bronze, Motorcyclists, Czechoslovakia, 1924
        Oct. 22, 2014

        Otakar Švec, Bronze, Motorcyclists, Czechoslovakia, 1924

        Est: €4,800 - €6,000

        Bronze, dark brown patina Czechoslovakia, c. 1924 Otakar Švec (1892-1955) - Czech sculptor On the plinth signed 'O ŠVEC' Height: 26.5 cm Length: 50 cm Good Condition Dynamic figure of a motorcyclist in cornering, a famous futuristic bronze with popular Art Deco motif, a life-size version of this sculpture realized €158,000 on the international auction market This sculpture of a motorcyclist with the title ,Sunbeam Motorcycle' refers to the origin of this futuristic work. The motorcyclist, as fast as a sunbeam, is represented in very dynamic cornering and inclined position. Even the base has a dynamic curvature, which is rather unusual for sculptures. In addition the tires of the wheels are shaped as if rapidly rotating. The theme of the motorcyclist as well as speed were very popular during the Futurism movement within the Art Deco period. The bronze is signed on the plinth 'O ŠVEC' and is in good condition with light signs of age and wear in the area of the base. Otakar Švec (1892-1955) The Czech sculptor Otakar Švec was born in 1892. He studied with Josef Václav Myslbek and Jan Štursa. In 1924 Švec designed the famous futuristic sculpture of the motorcyclist, also referred to as 'Sunbeam Motorcycle', which today is to be found in the National Gallery in Prague. Another well-known work is the giant Stalin Monument in Prague, which was completed in 1955 and has been destroyed after Stalin's death in 1962. (afa / cru) Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance. Due to the legal obligation for the resale royalty in the art market the following applies: As a result of its membership in the AV Kunst, Auctionata charges additionally to the hammer price the contribution to the AV Kunst of currently 2.1% of the revenues from the sale of fine arts and photographs pro rata towards the buyer. More information about royalty right in our T&C.

        Auctionata Paddle8 AG
      • STANDING MALE NUDE WITH A BOOK
        Nov. 19, 2011

        STANDING MALE NUDE WITH A BOOK

        Est: Kč220,000 - Kč308,000

        Bronze, H 194cm, signed on the plinth, dated to the end of the 1920s.

        Arcimboldo Auctions
      • OTAKAR SVEC
        Jun. 13, 2011

        OTAKAR SVEC

        Est: £15,000 - £20,000

        OTAKAR SVEC CZECH 1892-1955 SUNBEAM - MOTORCYCLIST (SLUNEČNÍ PAPRSEK - MOTOCYKLISTA) inscribed O. ŠVEC on the base bronze height: 119cm., 46 3/4 in; length: 220cm., 86 1/2 in. depth: 47cm., 18½in. 45 x 90 inches

        Sotheby's
      • OTAKAR SVEC
        Jun. 13, 2011

        OTAKAR SVEC

        Est: £1,000 - £1,500

        OTAKAR SVEC CZECH 1892-1955 DOUBLE PORTRAIT OF ACTORS VOSKOVEC AND WERICH (DVOJPORTRÉT HERCŮ VOSKOVCE A WERICHA) inscribed II/II and N.M. of PRAGUE and with the monogram of the Ondra Praha foundry bronze height: 52cm., 20 1/2 in. Height: 10 inches

        Sotheby's
      • OTAKAR SVEC
        Jun. 13, 2011

        OTAKAR SVEC

        Est: £1,000 - £1,500

        OTAKAR SVEC CZECH 1892-1955 DOUBLE PORTRAIT OF ACTORS VOSKOVEC AND WERICH (DVOJPORTRÉT HERCŮ VOSKOVCE A WERICHA) numbered I/II , inscribed N.M. of PRAGUE and with the monogram of the Ondra Praha foundry bronze height: 52cm., 20 1/2 in. Diameter: 9 inches; 23 cm

        Sotheby's
      • OTAKAR SVEC
        Jun. 13, 2011

        OTAKAR SVEC

        Est: £600 - £800

        OTAKAR SVEC CZECH 1892-1955 DOUBLE PORTRAIT OF THE ACTORS VOSKOVEC AND WERICH (DVOJPORTRÉT HERCŮ VOSKOVCE A WERICHA) inscribed O. ŠVEC bronze height: 26.5cm., 10½ in. Height: 13 3/8 inches; 34 cm Diameter: 7 7/8 inches; 20 cm

        Sotheby's
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