Gwenfritz
Item
Title
Gwenfritz
Description
Sculptor Alexander Calder designed "Gwenfritz" in 1965 after Washington philanthropist Gwendolyn Cafritz commissioned him to create a piece for the new Museum of History and Technology. Calder built the 40-foot tall metal stabile in France and shipped it to Washington in 6 crates. Smithsonian staff installed the work in 1969 on a reflecting pool facing 14th Street. In 1984, the Museum moved the sculpture and filled in the pool. In 2013, the Smithsonian began conserving "Gwenfritz," and in October 2014 returned it to the original location. During the restoration, staff repainted the sculpture and replaced all 1,200 bolts connecting its panels.
Creator
Alexander Calder
Source
Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives. View original.
Date
6/2/1969 (dedicated)
Coverage
1950-1979
2000-present
Spatial Coverage
The west side of the National Museum of American History.
topic
arts & culture
design & monuments