“Romulus and Remus” is a sculpture created by artist Alexander Calder in 1928. This work falls within the Expressionism movement and is crafted from wire and wood. The sculpture is part of the collection at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork depicts the mythological story of Romulus and Remus, the twin brothers who, according to Roman mythology, were raised by a she-wolf. The sculpture is rendered in a minimalist, linear style typical of Calder’s wire creations. It utilizes the negative space around the wire to define the forms, emphasizing an abstracted representation of the figures. The wire forms the shapes of the wolf, with a palpable sense of movement and fluidity, and the two infants are depicted in a simplified manner as they interact with the wolf. The use of negative space and the delicate balance of the wire elements exhibit Calder’s innovative approach to sculpture, where he explores the boundaries between two-dimensional line drawings and three-dimensional forms.
