- Artist
- Naum Gabo 1890–1977
- Medium
- Bronze and graphite on paper
- Dimensions
- Object: 108 x 222 x 57 mm
- Collection
- Tate
- Acquisition
- Presented by the artist 1977
- Reference
- T02183
Not on display
Display caption
The relationship between a sculpture and the space around it fascinated Gabo. Rather than being a solid mass, this work is a delicate lattice of bronze. It is accompanied by a drawing that demonstrates the shadows that the sculpture casts. Gabo often conceived his works as large public sculptures, though this one was never realised on a bigger scale. He was a pioneer of abstract sculpture in Russia immediately after the revolution. Having lived in Germany, France and Britain, he settled in the United States in 1946 and was granted citizenship in 1952.
Gallery label, September 2004
Catalogue entry
Naum Gabo 1890-1977
T02183 Model for 'Shadow Piece' 1951-2
Not inscribed
Bronze construction with pencil drawing on squared paper, 4 1/4 x 8 3/4 x 2 1/4 (10.8 x 22.2 x 5.7)
Presented by the artist 1977
Exh: Naum Gabo: The Constructive Process, Tate Gallery, November 1976-January 1977 (76) as 'Model for "Shadow Piece" ' 1951-2
The artist confirmed that no larger piece was made from this. The drawing on the sheet of squared paper is not part of the work, but was done simply as a way of demonstrating the strange shadows which this sculpture casts (information from Mrs Gabo, 27 July 1977).
Published in:
Ronald Alley, Catalogue of the Tate Gallery's Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists, Tate Gallery and Sotheby Parke-Bernet, London 1981, p.256, reproduced p.256
