567 - Alexander Calder* (Philadelphia 1898 - 1976 New York)

Alexander Calder* (Philadelphia 1898 - 1976 New York) Derrière le Miroir No. 173 lithography/paper 38 x 28 cm SCHÄTZPREIS / ESTIMATE € 100 - 200 STARTPREIS / STARTING PRICE € 100 Alexander Calder was an American sculptor, draftsman, and designer. With his kinetic mobiles, static stabiles, and monumental sculptures for public spaces, he ranks among the most significant innovators of 20th-century sculpture. Alexander Calder was born in Philadelphia on July 22, 1898, the son of sculptor Alexander Stirling Calder and painter Nanette Lederer Calder. After studying mechanical engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology, he initially worked in technical roles. His engineering background shaped his understanding of balance, construction, and movement; starting in 1923, he studied at the Art Students League in New York. In 1926, Calder moved to Paris, where he created the Cirque Calder—a miniature circus ensemble made of wire, wood, fabric, and found materials—which he animated himself in performance-based shows. Encounters with Marcel Duchamp, Jean Arp, Joan Miró, Fernand Léger, and Piet Mondrian led him toward abstraction. Following a visit to Mondrian’s studio, he created his first kinetic abstract constructions in 1931; Duchamp coined the term "mobile" for them, while Arp described Calder’s stationary sculptures as "stabiles." From the 1950s onwards, Calder increasingly realized large-scale steel sculptures for public spaces. His works combine technical precision with playful lightness, organic-looking forms, and bold colors—frequently red, black, or white. Alexander Calder died in New York City on November 11, 1976. PLEASE NOTE: The purchase price consists of the highest bid plus the buyer's premium, sales tax and, if applicable, the fee of artists resale rights and platform fee. In the case of normal taxation (marked ° at the estimate), a premium of 24% is added to the highest bid. The mandatory sales tax is added to the sum of the highest bid, the buyer's premium and platform fee. This amounts to 13% for paintings, drawings, graphic works and sculptures and 20% for photographs and all other items. The buyer's premium amounts to 28% in case of differential taxation. The sales tax is included in the differential taxation.