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The multimedia artist Alexander Calder, renowned for his famous mobiles and whimsical wire sculptures, showed jewelry at several important exhibitions in the 1940s. Made of hammered silver wire, these kinetic earrings move on the body like Calder’s mobiles do in the air. Calder primarily gifted jewelry to friends, collectors, and family, but it was also sold at Joan Sonnabend’s revolutionary Sculpture to Wear gallery at Manhattan’s Plaza Hotel. His work in jewelry inspired mid-century studio jewelers like Art Smith.
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Pair of earrings
Alexander Calder (American, 1898–1976)
American
1940–45
Object Place: Probably New York, New York
Medium/Technique
Silver
Dimensions
Overall (each earring): 15.2 x 7 x 1 cm (6 x 2 3/4 x 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
The Daphne Farago Collection
Accession Number2006.88.1-2
ClassificationsJewelry / Adornment – Earrings, flares, plugs, studs
The multimedia artist Alexander Calder, renowned for his famous mobiles and whimsical wire sculptures, showed jewelry at several important exhibitions in the 1940s. Made of hammered silver wire, these kinetic earrings move on the body like Calder’s mobiles do in the air. Calder primarily gifted jewelry to friends, collectors, and family, but it was also sold at Joan Sonnabend’s revolutionary Sculpture to Wear gallery at Manhattan’s Plaza Hotel. His work in jewelry inspired mid-century studio jewelers like Art Smith.
DescriptionSculptural, mobile-like earrings with five kinetic flattened, hammered, oval tipped bars. Lowest bar has an additional spiral design. Each of elements is connected by interlocking wire construction. Brass screw back fitting.
Signed
unsigned
ProvenanceA/D Gallery, New York; Daphne Farago, 21 February 2004 Daphne Farago; to MFA, 2006, gift of Daphne Farago.
Copyright© 2020 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York