“The Tumblers II” is a piece of artwork created by Alexander Calder in 1931, belonging to a series related to the circus. The style of the artwork is often categorized as a sketch and study, and while Calder is typically associated with kinetic sculptures and mobiles and was influenced by abstraction, this particular work has been wrongly attributed to the Expressionism movement. The piece seems to be more closely aligned with Calder’s interest in the circus theme, which occupied much of his early works.
In the artwork, there are a series of figures that appear to be engaged in tumbling and acrobatic maneuvers. The style of the drawing is simple and resembles contour line sketches, capturing the dynamic movement of the tumblers through minimalistic lines that suggest their shapes and posture. There’s a sense of playfulness and motion conveyed, as the figures are depicted in various inverted positions, with legs and arms extended, representing the action of tumbling. Despite the simplicity of the sketches, there’s a clear sense of animation and rhythm, as though one can imagine the figures moving across the page. The variety of poses gives the viewer a sequence to follow, illustrating the agility and flexibility of performers in motion.
