sculpture

Object NameSculpture

Artist Harvey K. Littleton (American, 1922-2013)

Made FromArchitectural Glass, Aluminum, Optical Glass, Plate Glass

Date1979

Place MadeUnited States, NC, Spruce Pine

TechniqueKiln-formed; bronze plate glass base

SizeBase W: 80.3 cm, D: 55.5 cm

Accession Number80.4.8

Credit LinePurchased with the aid of funds from the National Endowment for the Arts

Curatorial Area(s)

Postwar and Contemporary

Exhibitions

Masterpieces of American Glass

Founders of American Studio Glass: Harvey K. Littleton

Not On View

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

For this sculpture, Littleton salvaged rejected glass blanks manufactured by Corning Glass Works and reshaped them inside a kiln. Littleton's brother, Joe Littleton, held a position in Corning's Technical Products Division. Joe gave Harvey access to the glass blanks manufactured at the company's Danville, Virginia, plant that failed to meet factory standards. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Harvey Littleton slumped optic bars, such as those in this sculpture, from the Corning blanks that were originally intended for use with lasers.

Physical DescriptionSculpture, "Pile Up". Colorless optical glass bars, bronze plate glass; kiln-formed; aluminum cylinder, assembled. Rectangular black base with aluminum cylinder and slumped bars of optical glass.
Provenance

Source Harvey K. Littleton (American, 1922-2013) - 1979-09-1980-02-05