Gudmar Olovson – a life in sculpture

By Malin Norman | Photos: Gudmar Olovson Estate, Erik Fägerwall, Treasure House Fair

One of the most prominent sculptors of the 20th century, Gudmar Olovson spent nearly six decades in Paris where he developed his free, figurative approach. Olovson’s monumental works can be seen in collections and public spaces worldwide, most notably in France and Sweden, and now also in the UK.

Born in Sweden in 1936, Gudmar Olovson’s artistic endeavours began at the Royal Academy of Arts in Stockholm. In 1959, he moved to Paris and collaborated with a number of independent sculptors, including Jean Carton. Jean was a founding member of Le Groupe des Neuf, who defended figurative and non-academic sculpture in a world that was dominated in the 1960s and ‘70s by abstract and politicised art.

HRH Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden.

Olovson sculpted in the French tradition and his free work is celebrated for its elegance, balance and realistic presence. Renowned for capturing the likeness of global iconoclasts, he has sculpted portraits for an elite roster of monarchs, presidents and religious leaders, including HRH Carl XVI Gustaf, HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Charles III, Charles de Gaulle and Pope John Paul II.

Since the artist’s passing in 2017, the Gudmar Olovson Estate has archived and catalogued all his works. “Our purpose is to preserve, exhibit and manage the work of Gudmar Olovson and to spread further knowledge about our father’s art and legacy,” says Magnus Olovson, who runs the Gudmar Olovson Estate together with his sister Susanne. “We see it as our duty to participate, even so modestly, in the preservation, defence and portrayal of the tradition of free figurative sculpture and of its craftmanship,” the siblings add.

Le Poulain, private collections, France and Sweden. Photo: Bukowskis

Beauty of the human body

In Paris, Olovson made a name for himself as a figurative sculptor, honouring the ancient lost-wax bronze process. His legacy includes an extensive collection of drawings, lithographs, etchings and aquatints. A regular participant in the Paris Art Salons in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, he also headlined numerous solo exhibitions across cultural capitals, including Paris, New York and Stockholm. The estate successfully exhibited monumental bronzes by Olovson at Treasure House Art Fair in London in 2025 and 2026. Les Deux Arbres now resides in a top private UK collection.

Olovson collaborated with sculptors Jean Carton, Paul Cornet, Jean Osouf and Gunnar Nilsson, who all had a significant influence on the artist’s development. With his passion for French Gothic art, the cathedrals and the early Renaissance, Olovson’s sculptures reflect a view of life and creation seen through the human body and its interpretation.

The Swedish sculptor was an enthusiastic admirer of the works of Edgar Degas, Aristide Maillol, and, of course, Auguste Rodin. Even though he remained in France, he did so without abandoning his Nordic roots, while surrounding himself with skilled craftsmen and foundries to ensure that the finished works matched his ideals.

Garden of Love and celebrities

In 1964, Olovson was commissioned to sculpt a bronze portrait of iconic Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman. A marble version can be found at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm, and is also on public display in Fjällbacka, where she spent many summers, as well as at the National Portrait Gallery in Gripsholm Castle.

This spring saw the unveiling of Ingrid Bergman’s portrait by Olovson at the Swedish Film Institute in Stockholm. The event celebrated the bronze bust and also highlighted the personal relationship between the actress, the sculptor and their families.

Olovson’s monumental sculptures are held in both private and public institutions throughout Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Many of his works can be seen at Falsterbo Open Air Museum in southern Sweden and Bois de Boulogne in Paris, where Les Deux Arbres (Two Trees) stands as a symbol of love, unity and friendship between France and Sweden. In 2019, a sculpture park was installed at Château de Cheverny in the Loire Valley in France. Here, half a million visitors annually get to admire the permanent display of six monumental bronzes by Olovson in the famous castle’s park, the Garden of Love.

Two of the sculptor’s most famous works, La Concorde (Concord) and Le Poulain (The Foal), will be exhibited in London 2026-27, while a documentary of Olovson’s life and work is currently under production for Swedish and international TV. Clearly, a lot is happening around the renowned Swedish sculptor, who was often referred to as a true Renaissance man.

La Concorde (1969) is among Olovson’s most evocative tributes to movement and harmony. The young woman’s slender, streamlined form echoes the dynamism of the supersonic aircraft with the same name.

Le Poulain (2006) was conceived when a patron asked Olovson to create a portrait of her foal. The sculpture captures the foal’s innocence and vitality, reflecting Olovson’s fascination with naturalism and emotion.

Les Deux Arbres (1964) was created after Olovson witnessed a couple in the park Bois de Boulogne in Paris, tenderly embracing while hardly touching one another.