Joe Rosenthal
Consolation, 1997
Bronze, 136 x 90 x 62 centimetres
In Joe Rosenthal's art, the human figure is presented with impressive weight. The solid rounded shapes of Consolation display a substantial inner fortitude, what some critics have called "enduring universal toughness."
The artist does not portray the human form as fragile or teetering on the edge of collapse. Instead, Rosenthal's heavy sculpture seems able to hold its own ground against the chaos of conflicting forces.
About Joe Rosenthal
Joe Rosenthal was born in 1921 in Romania. He came to Canada in 1927 and served in the Canadian Armed Forces from 1942 to 1945.
He studied at the Ontario College of Art and continued his learning on extensive sketching trips through the Northwest Territories, Mexico, Cuba, England, Holland, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Jordan, Israel and Egypt.
His work has been recognized with awards from the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Canada Council and the Toronto Outdoor Exhibition. His awards also include first prize in the National Open Sculpture Competition for the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Monument.
Since 1957, his work has been exhibited in many solo and group shows throughout North America and Europe. His most recent award is The Rabin International Presentation Sculpture, Los Angeles, 1996. He is a member of the Royal Canadian Academy and the Ontario Society of Arts.