Charlotte van Pallandt — Standing Woman with Crossed Arms, c. 1952–53

Charlotte van Pallandt (1898–1997)
Staande met gekruiste armen (Standing Woman with Crossed Arms), circa 1952–53

• Bronze with black patina
• Cast signature ‘VPALLANDT’ on the base
• Height: 21.5 cm
• The Netherlands

A beautifully restrained bronze by Charlotte van Pallandt, one of the most important Dutch sculptors of the twentieth century.

About the work

Created around 1952–53, Standing Woman with Crossed Arms belongs to the celebrated group of intimate female figures Van Pallandt developed through her long collaboration with the model Truus Trompert. Rather than idealising the body, Van Pallandt concentrated on posture, balance and the distribution of weight. The crossed arms and compact stance create a figure that feels both self-contained and remarkably alive.

Although intimate in scale, the sculpture has the monumentality characteristic of Van Pallandt’s best work: the body is reduced to essential volumes without losing its humanity.

Museum reference

Another cast of this exact model is held in the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, inventory number BK-1982-9. It has the same dimensions—21.5 × 8 × 6 cm—and was donated to the museum by Charlotte van Pallandt in 1982. The Rijksmuseum cast bears the mark of the renowned Parisian foundry Valsuani.

About Charlotte van Pallandt

Charlotte van Pallandt occupies a central position in twentieth-century Dutch sculpture. After studying in Paris with André Lhote, she devoted herself increasingly to sculpture and studied with Charles Malfray, whose approach to spatial composition became important to her development. The human figure remained central to her practice throughout her career.

In 1958, Van Pallandt represented the Netherlands at the 29th Venice Biennale, where her small, powerful bronze nudes attracted critical attention. That same year she received the Prix de la Critique. Her work is represented in major Dutch museum collections, including the Rijksmuseum and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.

Details

• Artist: Charlotte van Pallandt (1898–1997)
• Title: Staande met gekruiste armen (Standing Woman with Crossed Arms)
• Date: circa 1952–53
• Medium: Bronze with black patina
• Signature: Cast signature ‘VPALLANDT’ on the base
• Dimensions: H. 21.5 cm
• Condition: Mint
• Country: The Netherlands

Literature

Lambert Tegenbosch & Maite Koekkoek, Charlotte van Pallandt. Beelden en tekeningen, Zwolle, 1994, catalogue no. 57.

Provenance

• Private collection, The Netherlands

Shipping

Please contact the dealer for a shipping quote.