Change in Calder Red

The red of some Alexander Calder sculptures have, unfortunately,
been repainted with some fanciful variations of red.  When the
original red color can not be known for certain from archival
information, paint cross sections, or other forms of documentation,
there is a fairly well documented history and preserved samples of
the "Calder Red" color traced back in my research to a color
approved by the artist, pigments imported from France and copied
here, and used for Stabiles in the U.S. since at least 1968.  This
may be a useful reference.

With a "new" and quite different Calder Red color apparently being
specified and used for repainting sculptures by Alexander Calder, it
may be valuable to explore some of the history of the color used on
Calder Stabiles in the United States since at least 1968.  The color
has had decades of fairly well documented and consistent use.

I can not continue my research.  I leave my somewhat tedious "Notes"
as they are, now several years out-of-date.  But I hope others will.
And I welcome learning of any information on documented different
colors for the red of Stabiles or any information on any current
change in recommended repainting colors of red and the reasons for
such a change.

I have "published" my notes on the internet at

    <URL:http://sculptureconservation.com/calder-red/>

These notes were previously made available by request only.

Robert Lodge
Oberlin, Ohio


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:37
                 Distributed: Friday, February 27, 2015
                       Message Id: cdl-28-37-009
                                  ***