Perls Galleries, New York
I.A.L. and Barbara Diamond, Los Angeles (acquired from the above in December 1959)
Sotheby's, New York, May 15, 2008, lot 163
Private Collection, New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above

New York, Tina Kim Gallery, Alexander Calder & George Nakashima, May - June 2008

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. The elements move smoothly and freely. The sculpture exhibits signs of wear and handling, including minor areas of paint loss to the red elements and where the stand meets the base. There are a few scattered spot accretions to the elements and base.
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.

Alexander Calder’s magical Red, on Blue and Black from 1958 is a striking and delicate work that showcases some of Calder’s most important sculptural innovations on an intimate scale. From the curved tip of its teardrop base to the elegant upward sweep of the black stand that connects to the red platform which seamlessly transitions into the three red, leaf-life floating elements, there is a delicate and delightful balance in each component of the work. While there is a palpable grounded stability in Red, on Blue and Black, its floating mobile-like airborne parts imbue the work with dynamic movement, characteristic of Calder’s most pioneering works. The choice to paint the upper elements of the work a vibrant and joyful red, the artist’s favorite color, illustrates the lightheartedness of the work and the artist himself. Calder proclaimed, “I love red so much that I almost want to paint everything red” (Jacob Baal-Teshuva, Calder, Cologne, 2002, p. 81). Although there is a tangible sense of joy in the work, a sophistication of design and brilliance of technique that Calder came to be recognized for in the 1950s is also present. These characteristics defined the artist’s work for the rest of his career. As Calder scholar, Daniel Marchesseau, writes in the 1989 monograph, The Intimate World of Alexander Calder, “His works are both a mocking and grave blend of insolence and technique” (Daniel Marchesseau, The Intimate World of Alexander Calder, New York, 1989, p. 6). Red, on Blue and Black leaves a lasting visual impression as it simultaneously gives the viewer a sense of stability, but also a freeing sensation as the three red floating elements project into three dimensional space. 

The present work claims an exceptional provenance as it belonged to the collection of famed Hollywood screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond and his wife Barbara Diamond until it was sold at Sotheby’s in 2008. I.A.L. Diamond collaborated with Billy Wilder on the screenplay for Love in the Afternoon in 1957, after which Diamond and Wilder worked on many successful films between 1957 and 1981. The duos’ screenplays, which included Some Like it Hot, 1959, were nominated for three Academy Awards. Diamond and Wilder won the Oscar for best original screenplay for their 1960 film The Apartment, which also won the award for Best Picture. The Diamonds were buying art actively in the late 1950s through the 1960s and they concentrated their collection on Contemporary Art of the day. The Diamonds acquired Red, on Blue and Black from 🅘Perls Galleries, New York in 1959, the year after the work was made. The current sale presents the unique occasion to own an artwork that livened the home of the same prominent collecting family for almost fifty years and subsists as a classic example of Calder’s output from the late 1950s.