UNTITLED [MAQUETTE] (1939) by Alexander Calder

The artwork titled “UNTITLED [MAQUETTE]” was created by Alexander Calder in 1939. This work falls within the genres of sculpture and stabile and is influenced by the Expressionism and Surrealism art movements.

The sculpture depicted in the image is a maquette, a small-scale model or rough draft of an unfinished sculpture. It features an abstract design with flowing, organic shapes that suggest movement and dynamism. The structure is made from sheet metal and is painted black. Its forms include curved and pointed elements that are carefully balanced, giving it a sense of both stability and lightness. The stabile aspect of the work denotes that, unlike Calder’s mobiles, it is stationary and does not move. The expressionist influence can be seen in the powerful, emotional quality of the shapes, while the surrealism is evident in the sculpture’s dreamlike and non-representational form.