ALEXANDER CALDER | WOOD WORMS

Lot Closed

March 7, 05:40 PM GMT

Estimate

25,000 - 35,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

Property from the Collection of John M. and Elly B. Beard

ALEXANDER CALDER

1898 - 1976

WOOD WORMS

signed and dated 62

gouache and ink on paper

Sheet: 29¼ by 43 in. (74.3 by 109.2 cm.)

Framed: 29¾ by 43¼ in. (75.6 by 109.85 cm.)

This work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York, under application number A13726.

This work is in very good condition overall. The sheet is hinged on the reverse to the backing board. There is a minor undulation to the sheet due to the artist's chosen materials. There is minor wear to the corners accompanied by minor creases, visible upon close inspection. There is a minor tear to the lower left corner, visible upon close inspection. Framed under Plexiglas.

The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

Collection of Nicholas Guppy, London

Private Collection, Syracuse, Indiana

Sotheby's, New York, 2 October 1980, Lot 25

Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Among the leading artists of the 20th century, Alexander Calder achieved inimitable playfulness, wit and grace across a variety of media. He continues to be best known for his ‘mobiles’, innovative sculptures to which he introduced the element of time. More recently, however, Calder’s works on paper have undergone a reexamination in relation to his oeuvre. Some of his drawings were sketches for his ‘mobiles’, while others were standalone works, as in the case of Wood Worms. The title of the present work humorously suggests the presence of ‘wormholes’ in a slab of wood. Yet, Calder’s employment of just black and red decontextualizes this seemingly mundane observation and places it within his singular use of form and color.