Beginnings
Calder was born in 1898 in Philadelphia to a family of artists. His interest in making objects developed at an early age: he fashioned his own toys and made small animal sculptures from brass sheet for his parents (as in Duck and Dog). After graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering, Calder decided, in 1923, to become a painter and enrolled at the Art Students League in New York. His first paintings, mostly New York street scenes, reflect the realist approach of his teachers, including John Sloan.
List of all objects in this area