Paul Granlund

If you grew up in Minnesota you have almost certainly walked past a Paul Granlund without knowing it. He made something like six hundred and fifty sculptures over fifty years, and they stand on campuses, in churches, in hospital courtyards and in front gardens across the state. Bronze figures, usually more than one, usually caught mid-turn. Revere Auctions has sold roughly half of all the Granlund that has come to auction anywhere.

Who Was Paul Granlund?

Paul Granlund (1925 to 2003) was born in Minneapolis, the son of a Lutheran minister, and that upbringing stayed in the work. He studied at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, then took an MFA at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, and a Fulbright took him to Italy, where he learned to think about the figure the way Renaissance sculptors had.

In 1971 he went back to Gustavus Adolphus as sculptor-in-residence and stayed for twenty-five years. The college built him a studio, and he spent the rest of his career there producing an extraordinary volume of work. There is a sculpture garden on the campus devoted to it.

He worked in bronze, by lost-wax casting, almost exclusively in the human figure, and almost always in motion. His recurring subject is transformation: birth, emergence, orbit, two bodies turning around a shared centre. The titles say it plainly. “Orbit”. “Suspended Animation”. “Day and Night”. “Half Tryst and the Other Half”.

Paul Granlund, “Orbit II”, 1984. Sold $10,000 by Revere Auctions. Two elongated figures turned into a single closed loop, which is the Granlund idea in one object.

What Did Paul Granlund Make?

Almost everything is cast bronze, and almost everything exists in an edition. That second fact is the one owners most often do not know.

Granlund worked in editions, so the same composition can exist in a number of casts, and larger compositions frequently exist in more than one size. A monumental version on a campus lawn may have a tabletop sibling. This is normal, it is not a sign that something is wrong, and it means the edition number and the size are the first things a specialist asks about.

Subjects that come up repeatedly include paired and embracing figures, birth and emergence forms, circular and orbiting compositions, and religious commissions. He also made small maquettes and studies, which are genuine and collectable and sell for considerably less than the finished pieces.

A detail of the same sculpture. Granlund modelled the surface heavily and left the working in, which is part of how a genuine cast reads against a later copy.

How Much Is My Paul Granlund Worth?

Granlund has one of the healthier markets of any Minnesota artist. A larger share of his work clears several thousand dollars than is true for most of his contemporaries, and our own median sits at about $2,400.

Size drives the price more than anything else. The large sculptures reach five figures. Tabletop bronzes are usually four.

Edition number and foundry marks matter. Photograph the base and the underside, where the signature, date, edition and foundry stamp usually are.

Patina and outdoor exposure. A great many Granlunds have lived outside for decades. Weathering is not automatically a problem and can be attractive, but corrosion, staining and old repairs do affect value. Do not clean or re-patinate anything before it is assessed.

Revere Auctions results, hammer prices before buyer’s premium.

A small tabletop bronze in good condition is realistically a low four-figure lot. The five-figure results are the big ones.

Paul Granlund Appraisals

An auction estimate and a formal appraisal answer different questions.

A free auction estimate tells you what a piece would likely sell for at auction. It costs nothing and it is usually enough to decide whether to sell. Send photographs including the base and we will respond with a range.

A formal written appraisal is a signed document stating a value for a stated purpose: insurance, estate settlement and probate, or charitable donation. It is a paid service written to a different standard of value, and insurance appraisals in particular are normally higher than the auction estimate for the same piece.

Revere Auctions provides both through our appraisal and valuation services team. If you are not sure which you need, ask for the free auction estimate first.

How to Sell Paul Granlund

The strongest results for a Paul Granlund sculpture come at auction, where national and international collectors bid against each other. Revere Auctions offers free, no-obligation auction estimates: send photos and dimensions and our specialists respond with a current market valuation and a recommendation on how to sell. Consigned works are professionally photographed, cataloged, and marketed through our fine art auctions to a worldwide bidder base, and we regularly arrange shipping for consignors across the country. If you need a formal written valuation for insurance or estate purposes, our appraisal and valuation services team can help; you can also read more about how selling at auction works.

Related guides: Minnesota artists, George Morrison, Cameron Booth, our fine art department.

Reviewed by the fine art specialists at Revere Auctions, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Paul Granlund: Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Paul Granlund?

Paul Granlund (1925-2003) was a Minnesota sculptor born in Minneapolis. He studied at Gustavus Adolphus College and the Cranbrook Academy of Art, held a Fulbright to Italy, and served as sculptor-in-residence at Gustavus Adolphus from 1971 for twenty-five years. He produced roughly 650 bronze sculptures, mostly of the human figure in motion.

How much is a Paul Granlund sculpture worth?

Size is the main driver. Large sculptures have reached $10,000 at Revere Auctions, while tabletop bronzes typically sell in the low four figures. Revere’s median Granlund result is about $2,400, which is high for a regional sculptor.

Are Paul Granlund sculptures numbered editions?

Yes. Granlund cast in editions, so the same composition can exist in several casts and often in more than one size. The edition number, size, signature and foundry mark are usually on or near the base, and they are the first things a specialist will ask about.

Does weathering hurt the value of an outdoor Granlund?

Not necessarily. Many Granlund bronzes have been outdoors for decades and a developed patina can be attractive. Active corrosion, staining and previous repairs do affect value. Do not clean or re-patinate a sculpture before it has been assessed.

Exceptional Results