Big Arcus/Arcus III

Object NameSculpture

Artist Jaroslava Brychtová (Czech, 1924-2020)

Artist Stanislav Libenský (Czech, 1921-2002)

Made FromGlass

Date1992-1993

Place MadeCzech Republic, Zelezny Brod

TechniqueMold-melted, cut, ground, polished

SizeOverall H: 104.1 cm; Base W: 86.2 cm, D: 16.7 cm

Accession Number93.3.26

Credit LineGift of the artists

Curatorial Area(s)

Postwar and Contemporary

Exhibitions

Czech Glass Now: Contemporary Sculpture, 1970-2004

Title Unknown (Heller Gallery)

Not On View

Interpretive Notes

Web Text

Glass can be transparent, translucent, or opaque, and the objects that you see in this area illustrate these three different states. Although this sculpture is opaque, it still holds and reflects light, which is a characteristic unique to glass.

Physical DescriptionTransparent blue-gray glass; chunks of glass melted in a mold, cut, ground, polished. Massive solid cast abstract sculpture with modeled non-polished front side and flat back, vertical shape has semi-circular top with elongated sides (front left side tapers in slightly towards base, front right tapers out slightly towards base forming inverted bucket silhouette), overall shallow depth with thickness swelling to widest point at left front, exterior (except for base) tapers to thin irregular undulating edges, sculpture is pierced (upper half, towards left) by recessed semi-circular "key hole" that slices diagonally through thick area towards left front base dividing the sculpture into a narrow "leg" with roughly equal-sided triangular base, and remaining wide base section in shape of obtuse triangle; overall internal veiling, front has overall mold marks, back side is ground and polished flat with scattered bubble indentations; inscribed: on lower right corner of front: "Libenský-Brychtová 92-93".
Provenance

Source Jaroslava Brychtová (Czech, 1924-2020) - 1993

Source Stanislav Libenský (Czech, 1921-2002) - 1993

Source Heller Gallery - 1993