The American sculptor Alexander Calder is known as the father of the mobile, a moving artwork composed of delicately balanced sculptural forms suspended from the ceiling.
Because Calder's parents, both artists themselves, did not want him to suffer the hardships of trying to make a living in art, they encouraged the young Calder to study mechanical engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology, in Hoboken, New Jersey. He worked a number of jobs, including as a hydraulic engineer and draftsman for the New York Edison Company, before deciding to pursue an artistic career. He never abandoned his engineering background, however, applying his understanding of gears and moving parts in all his artworks, from mechanical toys like the Cirque Calder (1931) and his revered prints to his free-standing abstract sculptures, called stabiles.
In 1926, Calder moved to Paris and established a studio in the Montparnasse quarter. He began creating the many parts of his famous miniature circus from found materials, such as wire, string, cloth, rubber and cork. Designed to be transportable, Cirque grew to fill five suitcases over the years. Always interested in putting forms in motion, Calder also pioneered a new art form called wire sculptures, which he described as “drawings in space.” Like his famous mobiles, the wire sculptures were suspended so that they turned with any movement of the air, presenting different forms when viewed from different angles.
In the 1950s, Calder returned to his roots in mechanical engineering, creating monumental abstract sculptures that verged on the architectural. He worked from loose gestural drawings like this preparatory sketch for his Man Stabile, from 1966. Throughout his career, he also worked as a set designer for the theater, as well as an illustrator and printmaker, producing vibrant, whimsical drawings for books and journals.
Find original Alexander Calder art today on 1stDibs.
Woman with Square Umbrella
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A sculpture in wood depicting a woman holding an umbrella. "Woman with Square Umbrella" by Post War artist Alexander Calder is signed underneath, "Calder." "Woman with a Square Umbre...
Wood
$94,226
H 26.38 in W 12.6 in D 9.85 in
Yves Klein Dying Slave After Michelangelo IKB Sculpture Bright Klein Blue
By Yves Klein
Located in Paris, FR
Yves Klein, Dying Slave after Michelangelo IKB blue resin in plexiglas, signed Rotraut Klein Moquay and numbered 224/300 on the base on a label. 300 editions numbered from “1/300” to...
Resin, Plexiglass
$5,160
H 29.14 in W 25.99 in
Antique Indian Ceremonial Large State Horse, Carved Wood with Metal Trappings
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The State Horse India, late 19th century Carved wood decorated with embossed and studded metal plates. Carving depicting the harness (bridle, saddle and caparison), embellished wi...
Wood
$76,559
H 16.34 in W 11.62 in D 11.62 in
Yves Klein Blue Earth Sculpture IKB Pigment Plaster Cast in Plexiglas Box
By Yves Klein
Located in Paris, FR
Concieved in 1957, this edition started to be executed in 1988 IKB pigment and synthetic resin on plaster cast, in plexiglas, signed Rotraut Klein Moquay and numbered HC XXX/L on the base on a label affixed under the base. 300 editions numbered from “1/300” to “300/300″ 50 editions numbered from”HCI/L” à “HC L/L” H. 36 cm With the Plexiglas box: 41.5 x 29.5 x 29.5 cm Yves Klein is an influential French conceptual artist who works in a wide variety of fields. Arguably best known for his use of a very vibrant shade of blue, he began to create his monochrome series in the 1950s by developing and patenting his own signature shade known as IKB or International Klein Blue. Born April 28, 1928 in Nice, the artist founded the New Realism movement with the art critic Pierre Restany...
Plaster, Synthetic Resin, Pigment
$1,050
H 11 in W 7 in D 4 in
The Craftsman ed.2/2 - surrealist, canoe, figurative, wood, bronze, sculpture
By P. Roch Smith
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This bronze figurative tabletop sculpture by Roch Smith features a canoe. Canadian sculptor Roch Smith has turned his attention to a cherished national and historic pastime—canoeing...
Bronze
$15,311
H 29.14 in W 7.09 in D 5.91 in
A South German polychromed and gilt wood figure of a Monastic “Poor Soul” (Arme
Located in brussel, BE
Depicted standing and shown frontally, the skeletal figure is largely concealed by a long, cinctured monastic habit. The hooded skull is inclined slightly to one side, and the figure...
Wood
$3,800Sale Price|20% Off
H 40 in W 10 in D 9 in
Burled Maple Sculpture Nude Woman with Arms Over Head and Stone
Located in Soquel, CA
Burled Maple Sculpture Nude Woman with Arms Over Head Beautiful burled walnut sculpture of a nude woman. The woman stands with her arms stretched over her head. Behind her a dark st...
Stone
$4,900
H 14.5 in W 5.5 in D 4 in
David Hostetler Torso Sculpture Bronze Nude Mid Century Figurative Brown Ancient
By David Hostetler
Located in Nantucket, MA
David Hostetler created this form originally in ceramic in 1948. He used the mold in the 1980's to cast a bronze. It has a green marble base that measures 2"h x 5.5"w x 4"d. The sculptures David created at the beginning of his career in the late 1940's and 1950's were abstract and in stone and ceramic. He was inspired by Henry Moore, Archipenko, Modigliani and Ancient Greek statues...
Bronze
$24,000
H 73 in W 22 in
Mother's Tear, sculpture by Troy Williams, wood, steel, abstract, figure
By Troy Williams
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Tears of a Mother, sculpture by Troy Williams, wood, steel, abstract, figure Our mother is sad and tired. The forest's song is gone, replaced with digital steel. Heartbroken, Mother...
Steel
Vegetative Form / - Grown Art -
Located in Berlin, DE
Paul Dierkes (1907 Cloppenburg - 1968 Berlin), Vegetative Form. Mahogany, 1958. 142 x 16 x 10 cm (sculpture), 21 x 17.5 cm (base), monogrammed "PD" on the reverse. - Grown Art - ...
Mahogany
$5,889
H 17.33 in Dm 6.3 in
Ritratto di fanciullo figurativo fiorentino del XX secolo in gesso
By Bruno Innocenti
Located in Florence, IT
"Ritratto di fanciullo" in gesso di h. 44 cm, risalente al 1959. Viene riportato nell'Inventario dell'artista al n. 69 ed è accompagnato dall'autentica del professor Marco Fagioli.
Chalk
$3,769
H 17.33 in Dm 6.3 in
Ritratto figurativo di fanciulla in gesso arte toscana del novecento
By Bruno Innocenti
Located in Florence, IT
Questo ritratto femminile in gesso, h. 44 cm, è segnato con il numero di inventario 237 e corrisponde a "Ritratto di Albertina, 1959". nonostante non compaia la firma, la sua presenz...
Chalk