Elsie Hurlburt, Roxbury (gifted by the artist circa 1945) Private Collection (acquired in 1977) Christie's, New York, July 22, 2015, lot 17 Acquired at the above sale by the present owner
Alexander Calder worked as an abstract sculptor and has been commonly referred to as the creator of the mobile. He employed industrious materials of wire and metal and transformed them into delicate geometric shapes that respond to the wind or float in air. Born into a family of sculptors, Calder created art from childhood and moved to Paris in 1926, where he became a pioneer of the international avant-garde. In addition to his mobiles, Calder produced an array of public constructions worldwide as well as drawings and paintings that feature the same brand of abstraction. Calder was born in Lawnton, Pennsylvania.
brass and steel wire 2 1/8 x 2 1/8 x 3/8 in. (5.4 x 5.4 x 1 cm.) Executed circa 1945, this work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York, under application number A27179.