Stefan Neidhardt

Stefan Neidhardt unites decades of experience as a stone sculptor with a passion for wood as a living medium. After 30 years in restoration, he turned to his own artistic practice in 2011 and developed a distinctive formal language. His sculptures embody a modern, confident, and independent image of women – characterized by deliberately exaggerated proportions and a polychrome finish that accentuates the natural texture of the wood.

Neidhardt works with traditional sculpting tools such as chisels, rasps, and carving knives – honoring classical craftsmanship and maintaining a closeness to the material that is visible in every work. He prefers linden wood, often storm-felled, but also works with oak, ash, and birch. The result is a series of sculptures of striking dynamism, balancing strength, lightness, and timeless elegance.

Inspired by music, cabaret, and everyday scenes, Neidhardt also draws on the influence of artists such as Helmut Newton, Gerhard Marcks, and Ewald Mataré. Since 2019, he has worked as an independent artist and has been featured at international art fairs in Basel, Vienna, Salzburg, Frankfurt, Stockholm, and Ljubljana. His sculptures are at once a homage to classical sculptural tradition and an expression of contemporary sensibility: female figures full of sovereignty and grace, bridging craftsmanship and modern form.