Stanislav Libenský
Imprint of an Angel I

Imprint of an Angel I

© Stanislav Libensky Estate

Imprint of an Angel I
Imprint of an Angel I
ArtistCzech, 1921–2002
ArtistCzech, 1924–2020
CultureCzech
Titles
  • Imprint of an Angel I
Date1998–1999
MediumCast glass
DimensionsOverall: 92 × 43 1/2 × 17in. (233.7 × 110.5 × 43.2cm)
Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the estate of Roger Ager, Liberty, Texas; Heller Gallery, New York, NY; Dr. Frances M. Davis Ryan and Neil F. Ryan; Neal and Judi Grossman of Illuminata Gallery; Steve Laedtke; Richard H. Moiel and Katherine S. Poeppel; Barbara and Mark Paull; the Susan Vaughan Foundation; and various other donors
Object number2002.45
Current Location
The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building
Gallery 310
Exposé

Explore Further

Department
Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
Object Type
DescriptionCzech artists Stanislav Libenský and Jaroslava Brychtová began exploring the depths and possibilities of glass in the 1950s. Their work is recognized worldwide for elemental strength, purity, and emotional content as well as for demonstrating the tremendous optical and physical properties of glass. For Imprint of an Angel I, the effects of light highlight the “angel,” whose outline or presence is imbued in the glass. The monumental sculpture stands almost 8 feet high and is comprised of three separate tapered forms that stack upon one another. Each section is cast, weighs approximately 300 pounds, and needed to be an exact series of angles and measurements in order for the sculpture to be stable and uniform. Space is defined by the edges of each plane, creating a narrow void within the minimal form. When lit, varying thicknesses of glass throughout the sculpture, along with the central void, provide a changing landscape of transparency, translucency, and opacity.

Provenance[Heller Gallery, New York]; purchased by MFAH, 2002.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
Etched signatures on the lower right corner: "S. LIBENSKÝ / J BRYCHTOVÁ / 199? 1997"

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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