David Smith
Circle and Parts on a Central Column

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Artist David Smith (American, 1906–1965)American, 1906–1965

CultureAmerican

Titles

Circle and Parts on a Central Column

Date1959

PlaceUnited States

MediumSpray enamel and oil on canvas

Dimensions98 1/4 × 48 3/4 in. (249.6 × 123.8 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the Long Endowment for American Art

Object number96.764

Not on view

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Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Object Type

PAINTING

ProvenanceEstate of the artist; Private collection; [Sotheby's, New York, Contemporary Art Part II, May 9, 1996, lot 127]; purchased by MFAH, 1996.
Exhibition HistoryFrench & Co., New York, 1959

Anthony D'Offay Gallery, London, 1987

"Art at Midcentury: Spotlight on the Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, April 13–September 3, 2001.

"Color Field: Spotlight on the Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, April 28–August 4, 2002.

"Color into Light: Selections from the MFAH Collection," The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, December 13, 2008–March 22, 2009.

Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Inscription: A stamp in red ink, verso: "49" and "C-34". A label stapled to frame verso: "Sotheby's 127 New York". A white sticker, verso: "#6844 x 127". A black label, verso: "75-59-51".

The painting is signed and dated in pencil, lower right of the canvas: "David Smith 1959" and verso on canvas frame, in black ink: "David Smith Title Circles and Parts on Central Column 48 3/4 x 98 1/4"

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

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