Alexander Calder
1898–1976
Introduction
Alexander Calder (; July 22, 1898 – November 11, 1976) was an American sculptor known both for his innovative mobiles (kinetic sculptures powered by motors or air currents) that embrace chance in their aesthetic, his static "stabiles", and his monumental public sculptures. Calder preferred not to analyze his work, saying, "Theories may be all very well for the artist himself, but they shouldn't be broadcast to other people."
Wikidata identifier
Q151580
Information from Wikipedia, made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Accessed April 17, 2024.
Introduction
Calder graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1919 with a degree in mechanical engineering. After taking classes at the Arts Students League, he became a freelance artist and illustrator, and published a book titled Animal Sketching. In the 1920s, Calder began traveling to Paris, where he was exposed to modernist tendencies in art. In 1930, after visiting Piet Mondrian's studio, where he was impressed by the studio environment, he began to create Comment on works: abstract, moving constructions, coined “mobiles” by Marcel Duchamp in 1931, for which he is most known. From the 1930s onward, Calder divided his time between trips abroad and his home in Roxbury, Connecticut, and as his commissions grew more frequent, his mobiles became increasingly gigantic. Examples are Flamingo, the stabile at Federal Center Plaza in Chicago, and L’Araignée rouge, at the Rond Point de La Défense Métro station in Paris.. Comment on works: abstract
Country of birth
United States
Roles
Artist, designer, illustrator, lithographer, painter, sculptor, tapestry designer
ULAN identifier
500007824
Names
Alexander Calder, Calder, Sandy Calder
Information from the Getty Research Institute's Union List of Artist Names ® (ULAN), made available under the ODC Attribution License. Accessed April 17, 2024.
186 works
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On view
Floor 7Spear Thrower, the Sultan of Senegambia
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Stretcher Bearers
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Fanni, the Belly Dancer
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Curtain for Fanni, the Belly Dancer
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Two Acrobats
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Charioteer: Black horses
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Charioteer: White Horses
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Charioteers: Mechanism
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Charioteers: Arch of paper flowers
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Clothespin Ladies: Clothespin figure
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Clothespin Ladies: Clothespin figure
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Clothespin Ladies: Clothespin figure
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Clothespin Ladies: Clothespin figure
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Clothespin Ladies: Clothespin figure
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Clothespin Ladies: Platform
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Clothespin Ladies: Wire mechanism
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Clothespin Ladies: Curtain
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Clothespin Ladies: Sign "The Four Seasons"
1926–1931 -
Clothespin Ladies: Sign "The Three Graces"
1926–1931 -
Clothespin Ladies: Sign "Dawn and Dusk"
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Mr. Loyal, Ringmaster
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Pegasus
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Horse
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Cow (steer)
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Cowgirl
1926–1931 -
Large Japanese Wrestler
1926–1931 -
Small Japanese Wrestler
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Bear
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Dog
1926–1931 -
On view
Floor 7Lion Tamer, Lion and Cage
1926–1931
186 works