Paganini’s Soul
- Date
- 1979
- Material
- Charred violin in plastic
- probably made in
- New York, New York, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Sculpture
- Collection
- Modern and Contemporary Art
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 27 1/8 x 13 1/2 x 2 1/2 in. (68.9 x 34.3 x 6.4 cm)
- Credit Line
- Funds given by the Scaler Foundation, Inc.
- Rights
- © 2008 Arman / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris
- Object Number
- 52:1984
NOTES
This sculpture was made by encasing fragments of a charred violin in transparent plastic, where they remain suspended like an insect trapped in amber. The title, Paganini's Soul, is a reference to the Italian violinist, Nicolò Paganini (1782-1840), whose musical talents were so impressive that he was said to have gained them by selling his soul to the devil. Arman was fascinated by the story of Paganini and named several other sculptures after him, including Tomb of Paganini, Paganini's Funeral, and To Hell with Paganini.
Provenance
1979 - 1984
Arman (b.1928), New York, NY [1]
1984 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from the artist [2]
Notes:
[1] Denyse Durand-Ruel, who is compiling Arman's catalogue raisonné, indicated that there were likely no additional owners other than the artist [email from Durand-Ruel, dated March 25, 2004, SLAM document files].
[2] Minutes of the Meeting of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee Meeting of the Board of Trustees, November 16, 1984.
Arman (b.1928), New York, NY [1]
1984 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from the artist [2]
Notes:
[1] Denyse Durand-Ruel, who is compiling Arman's catalogue raisonné, indicated that there were likely no additional owners other than the artist [email from Durand-Ruel, dated March 25, 2004, SLAM document files].
[2] Minutes of the Meeting of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee Meeting of the Board of Trustees, November 16, 1984.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.