Logan Square in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Three Disks, One Lacking

c.1968

— Alexander Calder (1898-1976) —

Three Disks, One Lacking Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, September 2014

1. Three Disks, One Lacking Marker

Inscription.
Alexander “Sandy” Calder descended from a family of famous Philadelphia sculptors. His father’s Swann Memorial Fountain on Logan Square and grandfather’s City Hall sculptures represent art work from three generations. Trained as a mechanical engineer and artist, Calder invented “mobiles” and “stabiles,” such as this stationary work, as well as paintings, toys, tapestries, and jewelry.

Edmund Bacon. Director of Philadelphia’s City Planning Commission, purchased this iron alloy painted sculpture for the City in 1968 with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.

Erected by Museum Without Walls. (Marker Number 3.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. A significant historical year for this entry is 1968.

Location. 39° 57.347′ N, 75° 10.04′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Logan Square. Marker is at the intersection of Cherry Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Cherry Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1644 N 17th St, Philadelphia PA 19102, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Rock Form (Porthcurno) (here, next to this marker); Three-Way Piece Number 1: Points (a few steps

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

from this marker); A Grand Plan / Parkway Museums District (within shouting distance of this marker); Friends Select School (within shouting distance of this marker); Train Tracks from Treblinka (within shouting distance of this marker); Power And Politics (within shouting distance of this marker); Theresienstadt Tree (within shouting distance of this marker); The Parkway / Paul Philippe Cret (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.

Also see . . . Three Discs, One Lacking (1968) by Alexander "Sandy" Calder (1898 - 1976). "Association for Public Art" entry. (Submitted on April 16, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Three Disks, One Lacking Marker with the sculpture visible in the background image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 17, 2022

2. Three Disks, One Lacking Marker with the sculpture visible in the background

"Three Disks, One Lacking" image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Larry Gertner, September 2014

3. "Three Disks, One Lacking"

Alexander Calder<br>1898-1976 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Allen C. Browne, April 1, 2016

4. Alexander Calder
1898-1976

This self portrait of Alexander Calder hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.

“After working as an engineer in various capacities and places, Alexander Calder began painting New York City street scenes and portraits. These reflect the realist approach of his teachers at the Art Students League, notably John Sloan. In this work Calder pictures himself as a handsome young man still sporting the mustache he said he ‘raised ... to look more like a seasoned engineer.’ Calder created this self-portrait at the moment when his career was beginning to take off with the wire sculptures he made. In it we see a contemplative view of a young man in the process of establishing his reputation as a professional artist.” — National Portrait Gallery

Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 15, 2017, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 258 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 15, 2017, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 2. submitted on December 21, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on August 15, 2017, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 4. submitted on November 6, 2017, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.