Stanley Bleifeld

Stanley Bleifeld came to prominence as an artist in the 1950s. In 1967, the Bridgeport Sunday Post art critic wrote, “The name Stanley Bleifeld and sculpture are synonymous.” His fame is almost legendary. Widespread public recognition came from the 1964 World’s Fair Vatican Pavilion’s commission of a five-part bronze relief. A Life Magazine picture and article kept him before the public eye. And, of course there was the New York gallery, a good established one - Peridot of 820 Madison Avenue with its streams of Bleifeld reviews.” In 1987, Bleifeld was selected from hundreds of American sculptors to create a national monument for the U.S. Navy in Washington, D.C. His larger than life sculpture, “Lone Sailor”, sits on a site near the Capital building and receives thousands of visitors a year. The commission peaked the interest of the national media including the Today Show, Newsweek and The Washington Post. With all the fame, Stanley remained very personable and unrattled by the attention. Bleifeld’s approach to figurative sculpture has not been tied down by the restraints of traditionalism. He explained, “My work has basically been traditional in the sense that it is realistic, yet I have never felt the constraints of this traditionalism. I have chosen to create so many varied concepts using the same theme, such as the human figure and landscapes, that a fresh approach is always waiting to be discovered.” Stanley Bleifeld passed away in March of 2011.