Wright Auction

A prolific sculptor, ceramicist and artist primarily known for depicting animals, Sandoz created a wide array of artworks in various mediums and styles, including 1,800 sculptures as well as over 200 ceramic models throughout his lifetime. His academic training, technical discipline, inquisitive mindset and circle of colleagues made him an adaptable and versatile artist. His early training mainly focused on sculpting using stones and metals.

Sandoz is credited with saying: “On prend une pierre, on devine l'animal qui est dedans et l'on enleve ce qu'il y a de trop” (We take a stone, we guess the animal that is inside and we remove what is too much). Initially influenced by the Art Nouveau movement in the early 1900s, his style evolved over time and stayed current with various artistic movements that occurred through the century, such as Art Deco and Cubism. His designs are based on his creative yet affectionate interpretation of his subject matter, whether that is a rabbit, dog, monkey, snake or mouse. He was the founder of the Société française des animaliers (French Society of Animal Sculptors) in 1933.