Alexander Calder, born in 1898, was an American sculptor and painter. Calder is most well known for his elaborate sculptures made from sheet metal and wire. Due to movement being a large part of his pieces, Calder has been credited for inventing the mobile, and hence we are sharing a list of the top artworks by Alexander Calder.
Calder was born into an artistic family, with both his parents and his paternal grandfather being artists. Both his father and grandfather were successful sculptors.
He showed great interest in mechanics from a young age and would often be found tinkering with tools to make toys for himself.
This proclivity hinted at a natural affinity for engineering, which led to Calder enrolling at the Stevens Institute of Technology at 17. He graduated with an engineering degree in 1919. Calder would work in the mechanical engineering field for the next four years.
In 1923, after an experience of witnessing the rising sun at the same time as the setting moon from aboard a ship off Central America, he enrolled in art classes at the Art Students League in New York. Calder would carry the experience on that ship as inspiration for all the art that followed.
By 1926 Calder had produced his first book of animal sketches which is still in print today. In the same year, he made his way to Paris, where he found some studio space. He remained in Paris for the next seven years, becoming one of the only American artists to establish himself in Paris over this period.
It was here that Alexander Calder began making his elaborate wire and sheet metal sculptures that came to be known as mobiles. The key element in these pieces was movement. He originally used motors to make his pieces move but soon relied on the strategic weighting of the piece to achieve movement with air currents alone. Here we are sharing a list of the top 10 artworks by Alexander Calder.
Calder died in 1976.
1. Dog
‘DOG’ was created in 1909 by Alexander Calder in Expressionism style.
2. Duck
‘DUCK’ was created in 1909 by Alexander Calder in Expressionism style.
3. Old Mansion Square Garden And Democrats
‘Old Madison Square Garden And Democrats’ was created in the year 1924 by Alexander Calder in American Realism style and hence is included in the top artworks by Alexander Calder
4. Fourteenth Street
‘Fourteenth Street’ was created in 1925 by Alexander Calder in the American Realism style.
5. The Flying Trapeze
‘The Flying Trapeze’ was created in 1925 by Alexander Calder in American Realism style.
6. St. Regis Restaurant
‘St. Regis Restaurant’ was created in 1925 by Alexander Calder in American Realism style.
7. Todd Shipyard
‘Todd Shipyard’ was created in 1925 by Alexander Calder in American Realism style.
8. Singe
‘SINGE’ was created in 1926 by Alexander Calder in Expressionism style.
9. Duck and Snake
‘DUCK AND SNAKE’ was created in 1926 by Alexander Calder in Expressionism style.
10. Red Horse and Green Sulky
‘RED HORSE AND GREEN SULKY’ was created in 1926 by Alexander Calder in Expressionism style.