Open daily. Always free.
Portrait of De Celeyran (Michel Tapié)

Portrait of De Celeyran (Michel Tapié)

Alexander Calder

World famous for his unique development of sculptures in motion, Alexander Calder started his career as an engineer before attending the Art Students League in New York. In Paris in 1926 he began fashioning figures and animals in wire and wood, gradually assembling a whole menagerie. From circus figures Calder branched out into fashioning caricatures entirely in linear wire, like the Portrait of De Celeyran (Michel Tapié). In the 1930s Calder launched his mobiles, carefully balanced works with naturalistic, petal-like shapes turning slowly in space. After World War II Calder received several large commissions including a giant mobile for New York's Kennedy airport and one for UNESCO in Paris.
Artist
Alexander Calder
(American, 1898 - 1976)
Title
Portrait of De Celeyran (Michel Tapié)
Date
ca. 1930
Medium
Wire
Dimensions
12 5/8 x 11 3/4 x 9 in. Overall
Credit
Bequest of Alexander and Henrietta W. Hollaender
Accession No.
1992.310
Classification
Sculpture
Geography
United States

Related

Gifted by the artist, Alexander Calder, to Paul Facchetti [of Galerie Facchetti in Paris, France]; 1968, sold by Galerie Facchetti (Paris, France) to Alexander and Henrietta W. Hollaender (Oak Ridge, TN); 1987, deposited on long-term loan to Elvehjem Museum of Art [now called Chazen Museum of Art]; 1992, bequeathed to Elvehjem Museum of Art [ now called Chazen Museum of Art]

  • Simon, Joan and Brigitte Leal. "Alexander Calder: The Paris Years 1926-1933." Yale University Press, 2008. p. 83, pl. 33
  • Simon, Joan and Brigitte Leal. "Alexander Calder: les années parisiennes 1926-1933." Paris: Éditions du Centre Pompidou, 2009. p. 293, cat. no.144
  • Herman, Lloyd. "Transformations: Recycled Materials in Contemporary American Art and Design." Bellingham, WA: Whatcom Museum of History and Art, 1998.
  • Zabel, Barbara. "Wired: Portrais of Alexander Calder." Washington: Smithsonian Institute, 2009
  • Elvehjem Art Center. "Inaugural Exhibition: 19th & 20th Century Art from Collections of Alumni & Friends." Madison, WI: Regents of the University of Wisconsin, 1970. p. 90, no. 101
  • Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Handbook of the Collection." Elvehjem Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Madison, 1990. no. 124
  • Zabel, Barbara. "Calder’s Portraits: A New Language." Washington: Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press, 2011. p. 113, no. 92
  • Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Bulletin 1991-1993." Elvehjem Museum of Art, 1994. p. 185
  • Calder Foundation. "Calder's Work and Life: Archive." Accessed June 23, 2021. https://calder.org/archive/all/works/.

  • Beyond Likeness: Mapping the Self: Chazen Museum of Art, 2/19/2016–4/3/2016
  • Calder's Portraits: A New Language: National Portrait Gallery, 3/11/2011–8/14/2011
  • Alexander Calder: The Paris Years: Centre Pompidou, 10/16/2008–7/20/2009
  • Inaugural Exhibition: 19th & 20th Cen. Art from Collection of Alumni & Friends: Elvehjem Art Center, 9/11/1970–11/8/1970

The Chazen Museum of Art welcomes comments or inquiries about works in our collection. Please allow two–three weeks for a response. Chazen staff is not able to provide valuations or authentications and such inquiries cannot be answered.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.