American Art Brooch c. 1940 Alexander Calder, American, 1898 - 1976 Brass; steel wire Currently not on view 2011-94-2 Gift of Jane Goldstone Hilles in memory of her parents, John Lewis and Jeannette Kilham Goldstone, 2011 |
LabelAlexander Calder redefined sculpture through his iconic mobiles and stabiles, and his metal jewelry was equally innovative. Beginning in the late 1920s, the artist made jewelry using extremely simple methods of shaping wire or sheet metal. Their bold, simple shapes evoked prehistoric and non-Western sources of design, and their aggressively-hammered and sawn surfaces further underscored their “primitive” quality. This brass and steel wire brooch is a characteristic example of the designs he produced for sale through trunk shows and gallery exhibits. Made from sawn and hammered sheet metal, it appears in his 1938 design book and remained in production for several years afterward. |
