Friday, May 2, 2025

David Smith (1906-1965)

David Smith
Untitled (Study for Sculpture)
ca. 1937-38
ink and watercolor on paper
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York


David Smith
Classic Figure III
1945
bronze
North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh

David Smith
Untitled
1946
tempera on paper
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

David Smith
The Forest
1950
painted steel on wooden base
Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas

David Smith
Untitled
1951
tempera on paper
Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington DC

David Smith
Untitled
1951
tempera on paper
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis

David Smith
Stainless Window
1951
stainless steel
Menil Collection, Houston

David Smith
Untitled
1952
lithograph
Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington DC

David Smith
Tanktotem I
1952
steel
Art Institute of Chicago

David Smith
Agricola IX
1952
steel
Tate Modern, London

David Smith
Europa and Calf
1956-57
bronze
Smithsonian Museum of American Art, Washington DC

David Smith
Untitled
1957
ink on paper
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

David Smith
Untitled (Study for Sculpture)
1960
spray-paint over stencil on paper
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

David Smith
4-28-61
1961
painted steel
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

David Smith
Untitled (Study for Cubi VII)
1963
spray-paint over stencil on paper
Art Institute of Chicago

David Smith
Cubi VII
1963
stainless steel
Art Institute of Chicago

David Smith
Cubi XIX
1964
stainless steel
Tate Modern, London

from From the Cupola

Midnight      I dream I dream      The slow moon eludes
one stilled cloud      Din of shimmerings      From across the Sound
what may have begun as no more
than a willow's sleepwalking outline quickens detaches
comes to itself in the cupola
panics from pane to pane and then impulsively
surrendering fluttering by now the sixteenfold
wings of the cherubim unclipped by faith or reason
stands there my dream made whole
over whose walls again
a red vine black in moonlight crawls
made habitable      Each cell of the concrete
fills with sweet light      The wave breaks
into tears      Come if it's you      Step down
to where I      Stop      For at your touch the dream
cracks the angel tenses flees

– James Merrill (1966)