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Jesús Rafael Soto Art

1923-2005

Venezuelan Op and kinetic painter and sculptor Jesús Rafael Soto (1923–2007) is perhaps best known for his immersive installations, which respond to their environments and physically absorb the viewer in a dynamic sensory experience.

The exploration of space is central to Soto’s work. This is evident in his early paintings, of the 1950s, which create the illusion of movement through simple compositions and a limited palette. During the same period, he integrated industrial materials like nylon and steel into linear constructions that were part painting, part sculpture.

But Rafael Soto’s grandest and most enigmatic creations are his “Pénétrables.” Made up of thousands of long clear or colored plastic strands suspended from the ceiling or from free-standing steel or PVC frames, these geometric sculptures play with the perception of space, inviting viewers to act as participants by moving within and through them.

The strips of some of the installations were partly painted, forming shapes when seen from a distance. The Houston Penetrable (2014), at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, for instance, appears to hold a floating yellow ellipse.

Rafael Soto created 25 “Pénétrables” over the course of his career. Each further blurred the line between reality and illusion and established viewers as not just spectators but as integral parts of the artwork itself.

Shop Jesús Rafael Soto's art now at 1stDibs.

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Untitled
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Paris, FR
Silksreen, 1970 Handsigned by the artist in pencil and numbered 63/145 70.00 cm. x 50.00 cm. 27.56 in. x 19.69 in. (paper) 44.30 cm. x 44.50 cm. 17.44 in. x 17.52 in. (image) The V...
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1970s Abstract Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Silk

Squares
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Jesus Rafael Soto "Squares" 1969 Screenprint with collage 21 x 19 Ed 87 of 200 Jesús Rafael Soto (1923-2005) was a Venezuelan op and kinetic artist, a sculptor and a painter. His wo...
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1960s Op Art Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled (From the Sotomagie Portfolio), 1967
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Untitled (From the Sotomagie Portfolio), 1967 Denise Rene Editeur, Paris (Based on Soto's Work Répétition et Progression, 1951, Oil on Plywood) Silkscreen 23 7/8 x 23 7/8 in (60.5 x ...
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1960s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled (From the Sotomagie Portfolio), 1967
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Untitled (From the Sotomagie Portfolio), 1967 Denise Rene Editeur, Paris Based on Soto's Work Rotation, 1952, Oil on Plywood Silkscreen 23 7/8 x 23 7/8 in (60.5 x 60.5 cm) Editioned ...
Category

1960s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Lithograph

Quadrato
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Jesus Rafael Soto (1923-2005) Quadrato 1974 Editions Denise Rene 46 of 75 Acrylic/aluminum with painted metal rods 17,5 x 15,7 x 12,5 in Signed and dated Provenance: Editions Galeri...
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1970s Op Art Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Untitled (From the Sotomagie Portfolio), 1967
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Untitled (From the Sotomagie Portfolio), 1967 Denise Rene Editeur, Paris (Based on Soto's Work Progression, 1952, Oil on Plywood) Silkscreen 23 7/8 x 23 7/8 in (60.5 x 60.5 cm) Editi...
Category

1960s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Lithograph

Jesús Rafael Soto ( 1923 – 2005 ) – hand-signed Screenprint – 1971
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Varese, IT
Screenprint in colors on paper, edited in 1971 limited edition of 175 copies signed in pencil by artist in lower right Edition: Denise Rene , with blindstamp image size: 42 × 42 cm s...
Category

1970s Op Art Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Paper, Screen

La Escalera Azul, de la serie Sintesis
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
La Escalera Azul, de la serie Sintesis 1979 Plexiglas and metal Ed 37 of 110 20 x 14 x 5 in Literature: Museo Guggenheim Bilbao. “Soto. The Fourth dimension”. Catalogue published on...
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1970s Op Art Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Untitled
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Untitled, 1970 etching with embossing, edition of 95 37 1/4 x 37 1/4 in. (94.6 x 94.6 cm)
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1970s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Etching

Petite Vibration Brique et Noir
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Petite Vibration Brique et Noir (1966) Painted wood with a painted metal rod and nylon thread Edition Galerie Bischofberger, Zurich Ed. 16 / 35 20 x 18 x 18 in Provenance: Galerie Elke Dröscher, Hamburg Galerie Meißner, Hamburg (1976) Private collection, Baden-Württemberg Lempertz Auction. Contemporary Art...
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1960s Op Art Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Red virtual square on the right
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Paris, FR
Silksreen, 1981 Handsigned by the artist in pencil and numbered 83/190 Catalog : [Prent 190] 60.00 cm. x 60.00 cm. 23.62 in. x 23.62 in. (paper) 46.00 cm. x 53.00 cm. 18.11 in. x 2...
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1980s Abstract Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Silk

Jesús Rafael Soto ( 1923 – 2005 ) – Irritated Purple – hand-signed Screenprint
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Varese, IT
Screenprint in colors on paper, edited in 1971 limited edition signed in pencil by artist in lower right and numbered: 123/175 in lower left Edition: Denise Rene , with blindstamp im...
Category

1970s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Paper, Screen

Jesús Rafael Soto ( 1923 – 2005 ) – hand-signed Screenprint – 1971
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Varese, IT
Screenprint in colors on paper, edited in 1971 limited edition of 175 copies signed in pencil by artist in lower right Edition: Denise Rene , with blindstamp image size: 39 × 39 cm s...
Category

1970s Op Art Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Paper, Screen

Jesús Rafael Soto ( 1923 – 2005 ) – Composition – hand-signed serigraphy – 1970
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Varese, IT
color serigraphy on paper, edited in 1970 limited edition signed in pencil by artist and numbered as: 169/190 in lower right paper size: 60 x 60 cm very good conditions, with strong ...
Category

1970s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Paper, Screen

Jesús Rafael Soto ( 1923 – 2005 ) – Composition – hand-signed serigraphy – 1970
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Varese, IT
color serigraphy on paper, edited in 1970 limited edition signed in pencil by artist and numbered as: 154/190 in lower right paper size: 60 x 60 cm very good conditions, with strong ...
Category

1970s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Paper, Screen

Jesús Rafael Soto ( 1923 - 2005 ) - Composition - hand-signed serigraphy - 1970
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Varese, IT
color serigraphy on paper, edited in 1970 limited edition signed in pencil by artist and numbered as: 178/190 in lower right paper size: 60 x 60 cm very good conditions, with strong ...
Category

1970s Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Paper, Screen

Jai-Alai Suite: Screen Print C
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Jai-Alai Suite: Screen Print C, 1969 screenprint on plexi, edition of 300 24 1/4 x 19 3/5 in.
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1960s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Screen

Untitled (circles and lines)
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Circles and Lines, 1970 screenprint, edition of 95 37 x 37 in.
Category

1970s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Screen

Untitled
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Untitled, 1970 etching with embossing, edition of 95 37 x 37 in.
Category

1970s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Etching

Untitled
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Untitled, 1970 embossing with etching, edition of 95 37 x 37 in.
Category

1970s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Etching

Untitled (Variation en noir violet et bleu)
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Untitled (Variation en noir violet et bleu), 1970 etching with embossing, edition of 95 37 x 37 in.
Category

1970s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Etching

MIROIRS D'ARTISTE (3D WALL SCULPTURE)
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Aventura, FL
Mirrored glass and silkscreened plexiglass wall sculpture. Incised artist signature and edition on verso. From the EA edition of 20 (there is also the main edition of 99). Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of authenticity included. All reasonable offers will be considered. About the Artist: Jesús Rafael Soto (Venezuelan, 1923–2005) was an artist known for his kinetic sculptures and large-scale installations. Like Alexander Calder and George Rickey, Soto’s delicate and responsive constructions react to external stimuli and changes in the atmosphere, as seen in his work Penetrable (1990). “Artistic creation is a force which should preferably be directed towards the exploration of space, of the universe, of the infinite realities which surround us, but of which we are hardly conscious,” Soto once mused. Born on June 5, 1923 in Cuidad Bolívar, Venezuela, he studied at the Escuela des artes plásticas in Caracas from 1942–1947 and later served as the director of the Escuela de bellas artes in Maracaibo, Venezuela until his move to Europe in 1950. Settling in Paris, he associated with the Op Art artists Victor Vasarely and Yaacov Agam, as well as members of the ZERO group such as Otto Piene, Jean Tinguely, and Heinz Mack. In 1973, the Museo de arte modern Jesús Soto...
Category

Late 20th Century Contemporary Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Mirror, Plexiglass, Screen

Untitled (Black and Silver)
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Cuauhtemoc, Ciudad de México
Untitled Signed Serigraphy 110 / 200 Stamp from Denise René Editeur, Paris France.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Op Art Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Screen

Jai Alai Suite Ed 87 of 300
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
“Jai Alai Suite” 1969 Perspex, nylon thread, and steel Ed 87 of 300 19 x 6 x 6 in
Category

1960s Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Steel

Jesus Rafael Soto Book Inscribed to Dore Ashton
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Large format first edition monograph on blue-chip Kinetic artist Jesus Rafael Soto, published by Editions du Griffon in 1984. Inscribed in a bold han...
Category

1980s Swiss Kinetic Vintage Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Paper

Jai Alai Suite Edition 60 of 300
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Jesús Rafael Soto was a Venezuelan artist known for his kinetic sculptures and large-scale installations. Like Alexander Calder and George Rickey, Soto’s delicate and responsive constructions react to external stimuli and changes in the atmosphere, as seen in his work Penetrable (1990). “Artistic creation is a force which should be directed towards the exploration of space, of the universe, of the infinite realities which surround us, but of which we are hardly conscious,” Soto once mused. Born on June 5, 1923 in Cuidad Bolívar, Venezuela, he studied at the Escuela des artes plásticas in Caracas from 1942–1947 and later served as the director of the Escuela de bellas artes in Maracaibo, Venezuela until his move to Europe in 1950. Settling in Paris, he associated with the Op Art artists Victor Vasarely and Yaacov Agam and members of the ZERO group such as Otto Piene, Jean Tinguely, and Heinz Mack. In 1973, the Museo de Arte modern Jesús...
Category

20th Century Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Untitled (from the Jai-Alai Series) 1969
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Untitled (from the Jai-Alai Series) 1969 wood, paint, metal and nylon thread signed and numbered ‘SOTO, 31/300’ (on the base) published by Marlborough Gallery, New York. Jesús Rafael Soto was a Venezuelan artist known for his kinetic sculptures and large-scale installations. Like Alexander Calder and George Rickey, Soto’s delicate and responsive constructions react to external stimuli and changes in the atmosphere, as seen in his work Penetrable (1990). “Artistic creation is a force which should preferably be directed towards the exploration of space, of the universe, of the infinite realities which surround us, but of which we are hardly conscious,” Soto once mused. Born on June 5, 1923 in Cuidad Bolívar, Venezuela, he studied at the Escuela des artes plásticas in Caracas from 1942–1947 and later served as the director of the Escuela de bellas artes in Maracaibo, Venezuela until his move to Europe in 1950. Settling in Paris, he associated with the Op Art artists Victor Vasarely and Yaacov Agam, as well as members of the ZERO group such as Otto Piene, Jean Tinguely, and Heinz Mack. In 1973, the Museo de arte modern Jesús...
Category

20th Century Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Ovalo en el Rojo Edition 78/110
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Jesús Rafael Soto was a Venezuelan artist known for his kinetic sculptures and large-scale installations. Like Alexander Calder and George Rickey, Soto’s delicate and responsive constructions react to external stimuli and changes in the atmosphere, as seen in his work Penetrable (1990). “Artistic creation is a force which should preferably be directed towards the exploration of space, of the universe, of the infinite realities which surround us, but of which we are hardly conscious,” Soto once mused. Born on June 5, 1923 in Cuidad Bolívar, Venezuela, he studied at the Escuela des artes plásticas in Caracas from 1942–1947 and later served as the director of the Escuela de bellas artes in Maracaibo, Venezuela until his move to Europe in 1950. Settling in Paris, he associated with the Op Art artists Victor Vasarely and Yaacov Agam, as well as members of the ZERO group such as Otto Piene, Jean Tinguely, and Heinz Mack. In 1973, the Museo de arte modern Jesús...
Category

20th Century Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Anillo Edition Denisse Rene 33 pieces
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Jesús Rafael Soto was a Venezuelan artist known for his kinetic sculptures and large-scale installations. Like Alexander Calder and George Rickey, Soto’s delicate and responsive constructions react to external stimuli and changes in the atmosphere, as seen in his work Penetrable (1990). “Artistic creation is a force which should preferably be directed towards the exploration of space, of the universe, of the infinite realities which surround us, but of which we are hardly conscious,” Soto once mused. Born on June 5, 1923 in Cuidad Bolívar, Venezuela, he studied at the Escuela des artes plásticas in Caracas from 1942–1947 and later served as the director of the Escuela de bellas artes in Maracaibo, Venezuela until his move to Europe in 1950. Settling in Paris, he associated with the Op Art artists Victor Vasarely and Yaacov Agam, as well as members of the ZERO group such as Otto Piene, Jean Tinguely, and Heinz Mack. In 1973, the Museo de arte modern Jesús...
Category

20th Century Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Stainless Steel

Ovalo Verde, Geometric Abstract Screenprint by Jesus Rafael Soto
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Jesus Rafael Soto, Venezuelan (1923 - 2005) Title: Ovalo Verde Year: circa 1980 Medium: Screenprint on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 150, AP 25 Paper Si...
Category

1970s Op Art Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Screen

Mirroire d'Artiste
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Jesus Rafael Soto, Venezuelan (1923 - 2005) Title: Mirroire d'Artiste Year: 2005 Medium: Mirrored Glass and Silkscreened Plexiglass Wall Sculpture, signature and number ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Op Art Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Caroni
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Tbilisi, GE
Published by Denise Rene. Publisher's blind stamp in the lower left corner.
Category

20th Century Contemporary Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Silk

Jai-Alai Suite: Screen Print D
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Jai-Alai Suite: Screen Print D, 1969 screenprint on plexi, edition of 300 19 1/2 x 24 1/4 in.
Category

1960s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Screen

Jai-Alai Suite: Screen Print B
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Jai-Alai Suite: Screen Print B, 1969 screenprint on plexi, edition of 300 24 1/4 x 19 3/5 in.
Category

1960s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Screen

Jai-Alai Suite: Screen Print A
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jai-Alai Suite: Screen Print A, 1969 screenprint on plexi, edition of 300 24 1/4 x 19 3/5 in.
Category

1960s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Screen

Jai-Alai Suite: Multiple V
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Untitled (Jai-Alai no. 5), 1969 wood with four square metal sections, edition of 300 19 3/4 x 6 x 6 in.
Category

1960s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Jai-Alai Suite: Multiple IV
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Jesús Rafael Soto Untitled (Jai-Alai no. 2), 1969 white and black wood with red metal bar, edition of 300 19 3/4 x 6 x 6 in.
Category

1960s Abstract Geometric Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Expo 60 - ARC Musee D'Art Moderne Ville De Paris
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
TECHNICAL INFORMATION Jesus Rafael Soto Expo 60 - ARC Musee D'Art Moderne Ville De Paris 1969 Screenprint on Cardboard 27 1/2 x 18 1/2 in. Edition of 1000 Signed on bottom right, si...
Category

1960s Kinetic Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Mixed Media, Cardboard, Screen

Vibrations Metalliques
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
TECHNICAL INFORMATION: Jesus Rafael Soto (June 5, 1923 - January 14, 2005, Venezuelan) Vibrations Metalliques 1969 painted metal with metal rod with nylon string 10 3/4 x 11 3/4 x 5...
Category

1960s Kinetic Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Metal

Jesús Rafael Soto, Quadrato, 1974, Edition Denise René. Ed. 32/75
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in Miami, FL
Jesús Rafael Soto Quadrato 1974 Edition Denise René. Ed. 32/75 Acrylic on aluminum with painted metal rods 45.7 x 40 x 32 cm 17.9 x 15.7 x 12.5 in. Jesús Rafael Soto (1923 - 2005) ...
Category

1970s Kinetic Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Mixed Media

Screenprints A, B, C, D from the "Jai-Alai Series"
By Jesús Rafael Soto
Located in New York, NY
Screenprints A, B, C, D on perspex (plexiglas) from the "Jai-Alai Series". Available individually or as a set, complete with portfolio. Edition of 300.
Category

1960s Jesús Rafael Soto Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Screen

Jesús Rafael Soto art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Jesús Rafael Soto art available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of art to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of purple and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Jesús Rafael Soto in screen print, metal, plastic and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the abstract style. Not every interior allows for large Jesús Rafael Soto art, so small editions measuring 6 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Leon Polk Smith, Nicholas Krushenick, and Robyn Denny. Jesús Rafael Soto art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,997 and tops out at $70,000, while the average work can sell for $4,000.

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