The artwork titled “Ancient Household” by David Smith was created in 1945 and is associated with the Abstract Expressionism movement. It is a sculpture that explores abstract forms and is representative of the innovative approaches to art that characterized the post-World War II era in which it was made.
Describing the artwork itself, we observe an assembly of metallic elements arranged in a way that resonates with semi-figurative and architectural forms. The composition consists of vertically oriented elements that resemble tools or perhaps plant forms, each featuring a central spine with symmetrical leaf-like projections. These main structures are connected by linear elements that add a sense of unity to the composition. The sculpture evokes a sense of rhythm and repetition through these repeated forms, while the metallic surface adds a sense of industrial modernity. The artwork may invite interpretations that relate to domestic life, given its title, but does so through a highly stylized and abstract visual language that leaves much to the viewer’s imagination.
