Gogottes
What are Gogottes?
Gogottes are very rare naturally occurring sandstone concretions formed over 30 million years ago in the Fontainebleau region of France. These surreal, cloud-like formations were created when superheated water, rich in dissolved minerals such as silica, filtered through layers of sand. Over millennia, these minerals bonded the sand grains together, forming swirling, layered shapes that appear remarkably sculptural and even “modernist” in today’s artistic realm.
What makes Gogottes particularly unique is not just their geological origin but their astonishing aesthetic qualities. Their smooth curves and intricate whorls can resemble abstract sculpture and be suggestive of organic forms. Each Gogotte is entirely unique, and their organic shapes have drawn attention not only from geologists but also from artists, collectors, and world-renowned institutions and creates their enduring fascination and value.
Their rarity stems from their specific geological conditions of formation, which occurred only in the French Fontainebleau region. Most Gogottes were excavated during the 18th and 19th centuries and were hugely collectible specifically after Louis XIV had them excavated for his Versailles palace gardens, where they can still be seen today, particularly around the Grove of the Three Fountains.
As well as a strong demand by collectors over the centuries for their “Cabinets of Curiosities” the artistic community has always taken great interest in Gogottes. Notably in the twentieth century, artists associated with surrealism and abstract expressionism, such as Pablo Picasso and Henry Moore, admired their forms, and their influence is evident in the biomorphic curves and natural symmetry embraced in their artworks.
Major museums around the world too have recognized the scientific and artistic value of Gogottes. The British Museum displays a Gogotte acquired in 2017 in honour of Sir David Attenborough, showcasing it as a natural marvel that bridges geology and aesthetics. Similarly, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., displays a large well preserved Gogotte. These institutional displays highlight not only the geological processes that created them but also their cultural significance and visual appeal.
Gogottes are very rare naturally occurring sandstone concretions formed over 30 million years ago in the Fontainebleau region of France. These surreal, cloud-like formations were created when superheated water, rich in dissolved minerals such as silica, filtered through layers of sand. Over millennia, these minerals bonded the sand grains together, forming swirling, layered shapes that appear remarkably sculptural and even “modernist” in today’s artistic realm.
What makes Gogottes particularly unique is not just their geological origin but their astonishing aesthetic qualities. Their smooth curves and intricate whorls can resemble abstract sculpture and be suggestive of organic forms. Each Gogotte is entirely unique, and their organic shapes have drawn attention not only from geologists but also from artists, collectors, and world-renowned institutions and creates their enduring fascination and value.
Their rarity stems from their specific geological conditions of formation, which occurred only in the French Fontainebleau region. Most Gogottes were excavated during the 18th and 19th centuries and were hugely collectible specifically after Louis XIV had them excavated for his Versailles palace gardens, where they can still be seen today, particularly around the Grove of the Three Fountains.
As well as a strong demand by collectors over the centuries for their “Cabinets of Curiosities” the artistic community has always taken great interest in Gogottes. Notably in the twentieth century, artists associated with surrealism and abstract expressionism, such as Pablo Picasso and Henry Moore, admired their forms, and their influence is evident in the biomorphic curves and natural symmetry embraced in their artworks.
Major museums around the world too have recognized the scientific and artistic value of Gogottes. The British Museum displays a Gogotte acquired in 2017 in honour of Sir David Attenborough, showcasing it as a natural marvel that bridges geology and aesthetics. Similarly, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., displays a large well preserved Gogotte. These institutional displays highlight not only the geological processes that created them but also their cultural significance and visual appeal.
Gogotte
39 x 32 x 21cm. Height including stand 57cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$8,500
39 x 32 x 21cm. Height including stand 57cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$8,500
Gogotte
25 x 44 x 16cm. Height including stand 31cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$11,500 SOLD
25 x 44 x 16cm. Height including stand 31cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$11,500 SOLD
Gogotte
39 x 24 x 15cm. Height including stand 59cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$4,850
39 x 24 x 15cm. Height including stand 59cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$4,850
Gogotte
35 x 38 x 14cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$5,650 SOLD
35 x 38 x 14cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$5,650 SOLD
Gogotte
70 x 63 x 22cm. *A very rare large example.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$14,500
70 x 63 x 22cm. *A very rare large example.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$14,500
Gogotte
18 x 27 x 12cm. Height including stand 23.5cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$2,450 SOLD
18 x 27 x 12cm. Height including stand 23.5cm.
Oligocene, 30 million years old.
Fontainebleau, France.
A naturally shaped sandstone concretion, consisting of tiny quartz fragments held together by calcium carbonate.
$2,450 SOLD
