ALEXANDER CALDER | Red Flags, White Flags

Galerie Louis Carré et Cie, Paris
Galerie Gérald Cramer, Geneva
Collection of Francois Lachenal, Switzerland (acquired circa 1949)
Thence by descent to the present owner in 1997

Paris, Galerie Louis Carré, Alexander Calder: Mobiles, Stabiles, Constellations, October - November 1946

Exh. Cat., London, The Pace Gallery, Calder After the War, 2013, p. 142, illustrated 
Exh. Cat., New York, Dominque Lévy, Alexander Calder: Multum in Parvo, 2015, p. 16, illustrated

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. The elements move smoothly and freely. Under close inspection, there is evidence of wear and handling throughout including scattered minor losses most noticeably to the top edge of the blue and orange elements and the wire, consistent with the kinetic elements. Faint dust is visible in the crevices.
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.

“Although Calder was not quite the first or the last artist to set sculpture in motion, he sent volumes moving through space with more conviction and imaginative power—with more eloquence and elegance—than any other artist has. These are the works of a poet, but a poet guided by the steady instincts of a scientist.”
Jed Perl in Exh. Cat., Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Calder and Abstraction, from Avant-Garde to Iconic, 2013, p. 36

This work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York, under application number A15385.