Mario Joseph Korbel was born in Bohemia, later a part of Czechoslovakia, in 1882. He studied art there, and at the age of 18 came to the United States and settled in Chicago. After five years he returned to Europe, studying in Berlin, at the Royal Academy, Munich, and in Paris at the Academie Julian. He returned to the United States, spending time in New York City, Chicago, and eventually in 1913 he settled in New York. During the 1920s, Korbel’s most significant sponsor was George Booth, the owner of the Detroit News.

Mario Joseph Korbel (1882–1954) was a Czech-born American sculptor celebrated for his neoclassical style and mastery of bronze. Born in Bohemia, then part of Czechoslovakia, Korbel received his early artistic training locally before immigrating to the United States at the age of 18, settling in Chicago. After five years, he returned to Europe to further his studies, attending the Royal Academy in Berlin, the Academy in Munich, and the Académie Julian in Paris. In 1913, he permanently established himself in New York City, though he also maintained strong ties to Chicago.

Korbel was especially known for his bronze sculptures, often idealized depictions of the female nude, in which he explored varied patinas, textures, and surface treatments. His neoclassical approach emphasized harmony, proportion, and elegance, while his technical experimentation lent his works a distinctive modern sensibility. During the 1920s, his career was bolstered by the patronage of George Booth, owner of the Detroit News, which allowed him to undertake significant commissions and expand his public presence.

He was elected an Associate Member of the National Academy of Design in 1937 and became a full member in 1944. Korbel’s works are held in numerous public collections and include prominent commissions for the State of Illinois, the McPhee Memorial in Denver, the University of Havana, the Czech National Council, and the British-American Ambulance Corps. Today, his sculptures are recognized for their combination of classical refinement and inventive use of materials, securing Korbel’s place among the leading sculptors of early 20th-century America.