ALEXANDER CALDER Sculpture II, 1973

Alexander Calder (1898–1976) was a pioneering 20th-century artist known for combining abstract surrealism and biomorphic imagery. He invented the mobile, a hanging structure set in motion by the wind, which greatly influenced the art world. Calder was also skilled in jewelry, tapestry, stage design, and various forms of printmaking and painting. A trained engineer, he began his artistic career after studying at the Art Students League in New York. Inspired by the circus, he created playful, dynamic mobiles that redefined the possibilities of sculpture.