Bo Boustedt, Stockholm (acquired directly from the artist in 1966)
Christie's, London, June 30, 1994, lot 36
Private Collection, Germany
Sotheby's, London, July 2, 2008, lot 144
Acquired by the present owner from the above sale

Bo Boustedt, "Vers un nouvel Humanisme? Vivre avec la Sculpture," XXe Siècle, no. XXIX, Paris 1967, p. 129, illustrated
Exh. Cat., Tours, Château de Tours, Alexander Calder en Touraine, 2008, illustrated on inside cover (the artist with the sculpture) and on p. 19 (inꦡstallation ꦿphoto)

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. There is evidence of minor scattered oxidation throughout and very minor paint loss along the edges.
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.

By 1966, Alexander Calder was one of, if not the most acclaimed American sculptor, having received numerous accolades for his early wire works, his mobiles, standing mobiles and stabiles.  In that year, the present work, La chauve souris (The Bat) is parallel to Calder's commitment to the tenets of monumental sculptures within the smaller scale, that would come to be de rigeur for nearly every new architectural and public installation commission of the time.

By applying what he learned as a student at Stevens Institute of Technology, Calder was able to transform his smaller stabiles, such as this work, into massive public installations often commissioned by private and public institutions.  He was able to properly engineer these large works and solve the structural issues posed by their scale all while conceiving and articulating their incredible biomorphic and dynamic forms.  These forms, which would complement the particular architectural space which they inhabited, became an easily recognizable component of the 20^th century landscape.

In La chauve souris, Calder revisits some of his earlier, more playful animal forms of his Cirque Calder, transforming the bat into a curious imaginary character whose metal components seem to fuse together with a consummate ease.   His incredible ability to work with the medium of steel would prove to be indispensible when creating his monumental works of his late career.  Works such as Eagle purchased by the Seattle Art Museum and residing in the Seattle Sculpture Park is a prime example of how Calder was able to ultimately marry his earlier biomorphic small scale stabiles such as La chauve souris with his later monumental works in steel.