Ivory Sculpture – Ferdinand Preiss

Bronze, ivory and modern elegance.

Slender and graceful, this Art Deco dancer signed F. Preiss embodies the vibrant spirit of the 1920s. The body, carved from natural ivory, is adorned with finely engraved metal elements, likely oxidized silver, forming the costume, shoes, and geometric headpiece.
The figure is captured mid-motion, with outstretched arms and a forward-leaning torso, her face focused and serene. The poised movement evokes the confident, liberated femininity of the Roaring Twenties.
Signed on the green onyx base, the sculpture is a prime example of Ferdinand Preiss’s (1882–1943) celebrated œuvre in chryselephantine art — the refined fusion of ivory and metal in elegant, dynamic compositions.
A true icon of the Art Deco era, where sculpture meets fashion and rhythm.