Paul Maxwell Rare Sand Cast Bronze & Wood Brutalist Totem Sculpture 1967

Paul Maxwell Rare Sand Cast Bronze & Wood Brutalist Totem Sculpture (1967, Commissioned)
A striking and rare example of Paul Maxwell’s early sculptural work, this monumental totem was specially commissioned in 1967 for a private residence in Texas by a pair of prominent art collectors. Known for his distinctive exploration of texture, surface, and abstraction, Maxwell here combines sand-cast bronze and richly grained wood in a seamless fusion of elemental materials and formal poise.
With its vertical rhythm and anthropomorphic gesture, this one-of-a-kind totem channels mid-century modernism’s reverence for nature, and minimalist grandeur. The bronze—sand-cast and patinated to accentuate the artist’s deeply expressive surface vocabulary—interlocks with architectural wooden elements in a construction that feels both archaic and futuristic. Truly a pure masterpiece of the brutalist era.
* Date of Creation: 1967
* Materials: Sand-cast bronze and solid wood
* Origin: Texas, USA
* Provenance: Commissioned for a private residence by original collectors
* Condition: Very good vintage condition with light age-appropriate wear
* Dimensions: [Insert dimensions here]
Paul Maxwell’s sculptural pieces from this period are exceptionally scarce, especially in this scale. This totem is not only a powerful presence in any space—it also represents a pivotal moment in the artist’s evolution from painter and printmaker to full-scale object-maker.
BIO:
Paul E. Maxwell was a pioneering modern artist and sculptor whose creative identity emerged early in life. He earned a BA in Art from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois, in 1950, followed by graduate studies at Claremont College in California. While at Claremont, he held his first museum exhibition in Stockton, California. In 1951, Maxwell’s work was featured at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art alongside renowned artists such as Picasso, Miró, and Matta—the same year he debuted his first commercial gallery show.
From 1955 to 1958, Maxwell taught at the Houston Museum of Art and the University of Houston. Between 1959 and 1961, he lectured and exhibited across Europe under the sponsorship of the U.S. Information Agency, while also maintaining a gallery in Switzerland. Throughout the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, Maxwell was based in Texas and Oklahoma, completing a number of public commissions—including a large wall sculpture for Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and a freestanding piece for the lobby of the Stark County Library in Canton, Ohio.
In the 1970s, he developed his signature stencil-casting technique, further expanding his artistic vocabulary. In 1985, his work was the subject of a 12-minute documentary produced by Carol Shroeder and aired on PBS. Titled Paul Maxwell: Lines/Horizons, the film earned both the American Film Festival's Red Ribbon Award for Best Short Documentary and the Mitchell Wilder Gold Medal from the Texas Association of Museums in 1986. He was also profiled in the 2007 short film Through a Veil of Knowledge: The Legacy of Paul Maxwell, directed by Richard Balin.
Maxwell exhibited widely throughout the United States as well as in England, France, Switzerland, Canada, and Australia. His work is held in numerous private and public collections. Paul Maxwell passed away on July 10, 2015, leaving behind a bold and visionary legacy in American modern art.