Alexander Calder

Museum of Modern Art, New York (acquired directly from the artist in 1943)
Glenn and Louise Grohe, Westport (acquired from the above in December 1943)
By descent to the present owner

New York, Museum of Modern Art, Alexander Calder: Sculptures and Constructions, September 1943 - January 1944
Seattle Art Museum, Alexander Calder: A Balancing Act, October 2009 - April 2010

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. There is evidence of some light wear and handling, particularly at the resting points and along the edges of the sculpture.
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In 1943, Alexander Calder became the youngest artist to be honored with a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Running from September 1943 to January 1944, the museum extended the closing date for Alexander Calder: Sculptures and Constructions, due to the show's tremendous popularity.

During the exhibition, The Orange Table was positioned opposite the member sign-in book on the front desk. It caught the eye of patrons Glenn and Louise Grohe when they entered the museum to see the exhibition. They decided to buy it on the spot. As the desk attendant was processing the sale, Calder walked into the room. Mrs. Grohe recognized him, introduced herself and Mr. Grohe, and told him they were buying the piece. During their brief conversation, Mrs. Grohe asked Calder if the piece had a name. He said "Oh, The Orange Table, I guess." When she asked him if he would sign it, Calder pulled a key from his pocket and scratched Calder '42 on the back of the orange element and then went on his way.

Since that serendipitous interchange in 1943, The Orange Table has been a treasured fixture in the Grohe family.

The Orange Table reflects the classic composition so familiar in Calder's standing mobiles. The structure is rooted by three legs which set the color story for the piece to grow organically from bottom to top. The orange of the table is a combination of the red and yellow legs, and the black leg is mirrored by the extended hanging elements. The eye travels fluidly through the elements, each color and shape dynamically complimenting and supporting the next.

In 1943, Calder described the development of his work, "At first (my) objects were static, seeking to give a sense of cosmic relationship. Then...I introduced flexibility, so the relationships would be more general. From that I went to the use of motion for its contrapuntal value, as in good choreography" (Alexander Calder in Exh. Cat., Andover, Addison Gallery of American Art, 17 Mobiles by Alexander Calder, 1943, p. 6). The Orange Table relates directly to its environment as the black hanging elements float delicately, following changing air currents, casting shadows and balancing through the stable orange base, just as Calder choreographed it.