The artwork titled “DOG” by Alexander Calder, created in 1909, is associated with the Expressionist movement and is a sculpture by genre. However, there may be an error in the details provided, as Alexander Calder, known for his mobile sculptures and static “stabiles,” was born in 1898 and would have been only 11 years old in 1909. Expressionism typically refers to a movement that originated in the early 20th century, and Calder’s most active period was later on.
Examining the artwork, we see a simplified, abstracted representation of a dog, crafted from what appears to be sheet metal. Calder’s sculpture captures the essence of the animal through a minimalistic approach that emphasizes form and space without intricate details. The flat metal sheets have been cut and joined together to represent the dog’s body, legs, tail, and head. The tail is distinctively curled, contributing to the playful quality of the piece, and the ears are pointy, indicating alertness. The dog’s stance is firm and static, possibly reflecting Calder’s interest in the interplay between solidity and movement – themes that he famously explored in his later kinetic works. The simplicity of the silhouette evokes a sense of universality of the subject, which is a common feature in Calder’s work, bridging the gap between representational art and abstraction.
