David Smith

Estate of the Artist
Mr. and Mrs. Paul T. Makler, Philadelphia (acquired in June 1968)
Christie, Manson & Woods International, New York, November 12, 1980, lot 25
Private Collection, Zurich

New York, Marlborough-Gerson Gallery, David Smith, October - November 1964, pl. 15, illustrated
Kunsthaus Zürich, Sammlungen Hans und Walter Bechtler, August - October 1982, p. 146, illustrated

Rosalind E. Krauss, The Sculpture of David Smith: A Catalogue Raisonné, New York, 1977, cat. no. 616, illustrated

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. There is evidence of rusting along the bottom. There are some minor spots of paint loss. The irregularities in the bronze appear to be original.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The last fifteen years of David Smith's life were his most prolific, during which he created sixteen seminal series of sculptures in addition to many unique works and hundreds of drawings and paintings. Most of these series were made over several years, and as a result the ideas and dominant forms overlapped and influenced one another. Smith saw his work as a continuum, each work developed from the last. Many of the series are named in relation to where they were created or originated; like the Albany series, the Menand group was named after the town north of Albany from which he purchased his materials.

Executed between September and October of 1963, the Menand series consists of eight sculptures that Smith composed with thick cuts of steel and then treated with acid and lacquer. Smith's development of the surface in this way created a patina similar to that of antique bronze, which seems appropriate for the imposing scale and character of the works. Menand II is among the most architectural in the series. It is constructed around a central axis, with horizontal elements and uneven cylindrical shapes at the base supporting the main circle at the top of the form. The circle is an important motif for Smith, and appears in every series. It represents the perfect utopian shape. The circle is inscribed “Menand II DIDA,” perhaps a reference to the artist’s daughter, Candida. 

Smith developed the Menand series after he had begun his first Cubi works, and the totemic compositions and monochromatic sheen of the Menands allow for the sublime grandeur of these sculptures. One feels Smith working within the comfortable confines of his personal vernacular while pursuing a groundbreaking course of physical expression. Menand II is a breathtaking example from a seminal series within Smith's oeuvre, and reveals his unique ability to unleash, even from the most abstract form, a dramatic and affecting expressiveness. Throughout his career, Smith applied the most avant-garde artistic painterly innovations, including Cubism, Constructivism, Surrealism and Expressionism - to his sculptural forms, combining aesthetic daring with immense skill in a variety of sculptural materials. Ultimately, Smith created one of the most consistently confident bodies of work from the mid-century, establishing a new kind of sculptural invention that achieves a fusion of abstraction and figuration.