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Phrygian Cap

Date
1963
Material
Painted steel
Classification
Sculpture
Dimensions
height: 117 1/8 in. (297.5 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Florence S. Weil
Rights
© Estate of Alexander Calder / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, NY
Object Number
115:1974a,b
NOTES
Alexander Calder created this abstract sculpture by cutting shapes from sheet metal, which he then painted. Best known as the pioneer of hanging kinetic sculptures known as mobiles, Calder also made stationary works, or “stabiles,” that sit on the ground. The curling red form at the top of this sculpture evokes the title, Phrygian Cap, an ancient style of hat that became a symbol of liberty during the French Revolution of 1789.

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