Igor Mitoraj — Eros Bendato
Eros Bendato — the Bound Eros — is perhaps the most iconic single image in Mitoraj's entire oeuvre. The motif of Eros, the Greek god of love, rendered as a bandaged and fragmentary figure, appears across sculpture, lithography, drawing, and monumental public installation. If you own any Eros Bendato work by Mitoraj, I am actively seeking to acquire it.
The Eros Bendato in Mitoraj's Work
The image of Eros emerged in Mitoraj's studio in the late 1980s and became a defining preoccupation throughout the 1990s. The figure appears in multiple scales: from small tabletop bronzes of 15–25 cm through to monumental works exceeding two metres, such as the celebrated Eros Bendato installed in St. Louis, Missouri. The unifying element across all scales is the treatment of the face — blindfolded or bandaged, a bound Eros who cannot see, whose power is at once vast and constrained.
The Eros Bendato also appeared extensively in Mitoraj's graphic work. Lithographs, etchings, and drawings depicting variations of the Eros theme were produced throughout the 1980s and 1990s, many in limited signed editions for galleries in Paris, Milan, and Warsaw.
Eros Bendato — Small Bronze Editions
Small-format Eros Bendato bronzes were cast in several editions. The most widely circulated are approximately 25–30 cm and carry green or dark patina on a stone or marble base. Signed at the base or neck. Prices at auction range from €1,200 to €5,000 depending on scale and condition.
Eros Bendato — Lithographs and Works on Paper
Mitoraj produced a substantial body of works on paper around the Eros theme. Signed lithographs from editions of 50–200 are among the most accessible entry points for collectors and appear regularly at auction at prices between €400 and €2,500. Original drawings command considerably more. I am interested in all formats.
Do You Own an Eros Bendato?
Whether you have a small bronze, a lithograph, a drawing, or any other Eros Bendato work by Mitoraj, I would like to hear from you. Scale and condition do not determine whether I am interested — I consider everything. Contact me with a photo and I will respond the same day.
See also: Mitoraj Centurione · Tête Secrète · Mitoraj lithographs & drawings · Mitoraj auction prices