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Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

American, 1898-1976

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.

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Artist: Alexander Calder
Zigzag Sun and Crags
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A painting by Alexander Calder. "Zigzag Sun and Crags" is a Post-War abstract painting, gouache and ink on paper in bold colors of reds, blacks, and blues by artist Alexander Calder. The artwork is signed lower right, "Calder 72...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-War Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

Bowling, 1974
By Alexander Calder
Located in Greenwich, CT
Bowling gouache and ink on paper 29.5 x 43.25" signed and dated "Calder 74" on recto, lower right This work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York. LITERA...
Category

20th Century Modern Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Large Black Face With Sun, 1968
By Alexander Calder
Located in Greenwich, CT
Large Black Face with Sun, 1968 gouache and ink on paper 29.25 x 43" signed and dated "Calder 68" lower right This work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York. EXHIBITED Calder, Grand Valley State College, Manitou Gallery, Allendale, Michigan, May 4-June 15, 1969 Alexander Calder: Mobiles, Stabiles Gouaches, Drawings from the Michigan Collections, Flint Institute of Arts, February 20- March 27, 1983, no. 47, pp. 30 and 32, illustrated Alexander Calder: Sculpture and Works on Paper, John Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco, April 4-26, 2006 “At the time and practically ever since, the underlying form in my work has been the system of the universe, for that is a rather larger model to work from.” – Alexander Calder, 1951 (‘What Abstract Art Means to Me’, The Bulletin of the Museum of Modern Art, Vol. 18, No. 3, Spring, 1951) Alexander Calder’s interest in cosmology, the philosophical and astronomical systems of the universe, is at the heart of his creative output. The discovery of Pluto in the 1930s was a defining moment that instigated his fascination with the solar system and astronomy. Over the ensuing years he focused on creating entire worlds like ‘Calder’s Circus’ and his ‘Constellations’ sculptures...
Category

20th Century Modern Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Paper

Mickey Mouse
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A painting by Alexander Calder. "Mickey Mouse" is a Post-War abstract painting, gouache and ink on paper in bold colors of reds, blacks, yellows, and oran...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-War Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

The Forest
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A painting by Alexander Calder. "The Forest" is a Post-War abstract painting, gouache and ink on paper in bold colors of reds, blacks, yellows, and blues by artist Alexander Calder. The artwork is signed lower right, "Calder 72...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-War Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

L' Envolee
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A painting by Alexander Calder. "L'Envolee" is a Post-War abstract painting, gouache and ink on paper in bold colors of reds and blacks by artist Alexander Calder. The artwork is sig...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-War Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

Directions
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A painting by Alexander Calder. "Directions" is a Post-War abstract painting, gouache and ink on paper in bold colors of reds, blacks, yellows, and oranges by artist Alexander Calder...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-War Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

Colonial Organisms
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A painting by Alexander Calder. "Colonial Organisms" is a Post-War abstract painting, gouache and ink on paper in bold colors of reds, blacks, yellow...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-War Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

Red Petals, Blue Moon
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A painting by Alexander Calder. "Red and Black Spiral" is a Post-War abstract painting, gouache and ink on paper in bold colors of reds, blacks and blues by artist Alexander Calder. The artwork is signed lower right, "Calder 72...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-War Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

Cercles
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
An artwork by Alexander Calder. "Cercles" is an abstract painting, gouache and ink on paper in bold colors of reds, blues, and blacks by Post-War, American artist Alexander Calder. T...
Category

Late 20th Century Post-War Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

Untitled, 1964
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palo Alto, CA
Renowned for his mobiles, Alexander Calder applies the same principles of movement found in his sculptural works in this gouache work titled Untitled, 1964. Vertical yellow stripes cover the background, over which crisscrossed lines of red are punctuated with dripping blue dots. The layers of color bleed into each other, drawing attention to the water-based medium of the pigments. Gouache paint consists of opaque pigments ground in water and a thickener, which yields an especially rich color for a water-based paint. Thin abstracted lines and dots in black fill the lower half of the composition with the same swaying movement of grass blades in the wind.  The swirl in the lower right corner of the composition is a signature formal motif in both Calder’s three-dimensional and two-dimensional works. Through a masterful handling of gouache, Alexander Calder Untitled...
Category

1960s Modern Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

Tracks
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A painting by Alexander Calder. "Tracks" is a Post-War abstract painting, gouache and ink on paper in bold colors of reds, blacks, and yellows by artist Alexander Calder. The artwork...
Category

Mid-20th Century Post-War Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Ink, Gouache

Eclipse - American Kinetic Art - 1961
By Alexander Calder
Located in London, GB
ALEXANDER CALDER 1898-1976 Lawnton, Pennsylvania 1898 - 1976 New York (American) Title: Eclipse, 1961 Technique: Signed and Dated Gouache on Wove Paper Size: 55 x 74.5 cm. / 21.7 ...
Category

1960s Kinetic Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Gouache

The Cross
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"The Cross" is a painting by Alexander Calder. The painting is signed in the lower right, "Calder". The framed dimensions are 30 x 37.5 x 1.75 in. "The Cross...
Category

1940s Abstract Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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Serpent vert by Alexander Calder
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"Composition" an Original Color Lithograph signed by Alexander Calder
By Alexander Calder
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Blue Dots in Red Loops
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Untitled
By Alexander Calder
Located in Palm Desert, CA
gouache on paper Signed lower right, "To Tebe Sandy Calder". Signed upper right, "Calder 45". Provenance: Gift from the artist; Inherited by descent to the present owner in 1982.
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1940s American Modern Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings

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Alexander Calder abstract paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Alexander Calder abstract paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of abstract paintings to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of orange and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Alexander Calder in paint, gouache, watercolor and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the post-war style. Not every interior allows for large Alexander Calder abstract paintings, so small editions measuring 23 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Arne Hiersoux, Jack Roth, and Kenneth Noland. Alexander Calder abstract paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $105,500 and tops out at $2,850,000, while the average work can sell for $175,000.
Questions About Alexander Calder Abstract Paintings
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    The American sculptor Alexander Calder invented the mobile, a moving artwork composed of delicately balanced sculptural forms suspended from the ceiling. His mobiles were an innovative feat and initially used motors for movement, which he later abandoned for air currents alone. Calder was also a pioneer of wire sculptures. Shop a selection of Alexander Calder pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Alexander Calder’s artwork has found its home in many museums and art galleries around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum. Shop a selection of Alexander Calder’s pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 12, 2021
    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. On 1stDibs, find a variety of vintage Alexander Calder drawings and other sculptures.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Alexander Calder's mobiles were revolutionary because he largely pioneered the art form of creating hanging sculptures that were able to move freely in response to airflow. Calder was a prolific artist believed to have produced more than 22,000 works during his life. Shop a variety of Alexander Calder art on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    American artist Alexander Calder is best known for his work in sculpture, particularly his monumental sculptures and innovative ‘mobiles’ in the tradition of kinetic art. Shop a collection of authentic Alexander Calder pieces from some of the world’s top art dealers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Alexander Calder is best known for his sculptures. He produced large, playful freestanding and hanging works in vibrant colors. Examples include Mobile-Stabile, Lobster Trap and Fish Tail and Flying Dragon. On 1stDibs, you can shop a selection of Alexander Calder art.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 13, 2024
    Many people say that Alexander Calder invented kinetic sculpture. However, this is not entirely true. While Calder's mobiles helped popularize kinetic art, other artists like Vladimir Tatlin and Alexander Rodchenko had produced moving sculptures before him. On 1stDibs, find a range of Alexander Calder art from some of the world's top galleries and dealers.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 13, 2024
    Alexander Calder produced more than 22,000 works of art during his lifetime. The prolific artist made paintings, drawings, prints, tapestries, stage sets, jewelry and other types of art. Some of his most famous pieces include Cirque Calder, Josephine Baker (III), A Universe, Mobile (Arc of Petals) and Devil Fish. Shop a diverse assortment of Alexander Calder art on 1stDibs.

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