Alexander Calder: The Paris Years, 1926-1933 | Monograph

This book focuses on a pivotal and intensely creative period in the life of American artist Alexander Calder. It meticulously examines his formative years in Paris, a time when he evolved from a creator of witty, figurative wire sculptures into the pioneering inventor of the abstract mobile. The book explores how Calder’s immersion in the vibrant Parisian art scene—and his key interactions with avant-garde figures like Joan Miró, Fernand Léger, and Marcel Duchamp—catalyzed his revolutionary artistic breakthroughs. It delves into the birth of his Cirque Calder (a miniature circus of wire and found objects) and his crucial shift towards kinetic abstraction, ultimately leading to the creation of artworks that redefined modern sculpture by introducing motion as a fundamental element. Richly illustrated, this volume is an essential study of the origins of Calder’s genius and his most iconic contributions to 20th-century art.