- 146
David Smith
Description
- David Smith
- Two Dancers
- incised with the artist's signature and stamped with the date 1945 on the lateral side of the base; signed with the artist's monogram and dated '45 on the underside
- painted steel
- 7 5/8 by 10 by 4 1/2 in. 19.7 by 25.4 by 11.4 cm.
- This sculpture will be included in the forthcoming David Smith: A Catalogue of Sculpture, being prepared by The Estate of David Smith, New York.
Provenance
Literature
Rosalind E. Krauss, The Sculpture of David Smith: A Catalogue Raisonné, New York, 1977, cat. no. 193, pp. 37-38, illustrated
Condition
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
The 1930s and 1940s were critical years for Smith to explore the medium. Despite the scarcity of metal brought on by the war Smith produced a great deal of sculptures during this period. The sculptures produced during this period range from figurative to the more abstract and have even been considered to border on the surreal. Between 1945 and 1946, Smith produced some of the most notable sculptures of his career. Home of the Welder and Pillar of Sunday both from 1945 are among them. They reveal an evolution for the artist, with a more mature and individual symbolic language.
The sculptures of the mid-forties are generally small in scale due to the scarcity of metal brought on by the Second World War. Two Dancers is a beautifully lyrical example of the works produced during these two years. The strong diagonal lines evoke the finery of a perfectly synchronized couple dancing. Smith was no stranger to the world of Modern dance. Dorothy Dehner studied with Martha Graham and it is likely that she introduced Smith to the famed dancer and choreographer. Deborah Jowitt, author and principal dance critic for The Village Voice, explores Smith's interest and collaboration with modern dance and points to the many sketches by the artist from the 1930s and 1940s which were based of photographs on a dancing Martha Graham taken by Barbara Morgan. She elaborates on the subject: "Like Graham's choreography, Smith's sculptures affirm gravity, yet also strain against or fly away from it. Graham emphasized the challenge of maintaining equilibrium by counter-tension or torque within a fall; Smith created in a stable object the possibility of collapse, the delicacy of balance." Two Dancers is charged with the sublime dichotomy between the masculine and tough associations of the welded steel and the feminine subject and the organic rendering the lines in this sculpture.