Jean (Hans) Arp
French, born Germany, 1886-1966
Somersault, 1942
Artwork Details
Materials
bronze
Edition:
edition of 5
Measurements
overall: 13 3/4 x 12 1/2 x 9 inches (34.92 x 31.75 x 22.86 cm)
Collection Buffalo AKG Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Bunshaft, 1964
Accession ID
RCA1964:4.5
During the 1930s, Jean (Hans) Arp began to create freestanding sculptures that were often later paired with abstract sculptural bases made of different materials. It is believed that the donor who gifted this work to the Albright-Knox, not the artist, paired it with Pedestal Column; while they are two distinct sculptures, they are always displayed together. This sculpture title, Somersault, is suggestive of the human body in motion and brings to light Arp’s desire to capture both stationary and moving objects.
Label from Artists in Depth: Arp, Miró, Calder, March 25, 2011–April 15, 2012