{"secondaryobjectnumber":null,"periodterms":[],"creditline":"The John B. Putnam Jr. Memorial Collection, Princeton University","caption":"Naum Gabo (American, born Russia, 1890–1977), Spheric Theme, 1973–74. Stainless steel; 244 x 193 cm. The John B. Putnam Jr. Memorial Collection, Princeton University (y1974-85)","cultureterms":[{"id":2038492,"culture":"American"}],"type":"artobject","dimensionsproposed":"","campus_art":true,"terms":[{"id":2095499,"term":"negative space","aatid":300056295,"termtype":"Subject"},{"id":2098423,"term":"spheres","aatid":300055639,"termtype":"Subject"},{"id":2054791,"term":"sculpture","aatid":300047090,"termtype":"Classification"},{"id":2188428,"term":"curves (geometric figures)","aatid":null,"termtype":"Subject"},{"id":2038492,"term":"American","aatid":300107956,"termtype":"Culture"}],"geography":[{"displaygeography":"Place located: North America, United States, New Jersey, Princeton, Princeton University","code":"Place located","continent":"North America","subcontinent":null,"country":"United States","region":null,"state":"New Jersey","city":"Princeton","county":null,"subregion":null,"locale":"Princeton University","locus":null,"river":null,"excavation":null,"geoname":null,"location":{"lat":"40.35003","lon":"-74.65074"}}],"dimensionelements":[{"element":"Overall","type":"Height","units":"centimeters","dimension":"244.00"},{"element":"Overall","type":"Width","units":"centimeters","dimension":"193.00"}],"markings":null,"accessionyear":"1974-01-01","newaccession":0,"makers":[{"id":6034,"displayname":"Naum Gabo","displaydate":"American, born Russia, 1890–1977","datebegin":1890,"dateend":1977,"prefix":null,"suffix":null,"role":"Artist","displaymaker":"Naum Gabo, American, born Russia, 1890–1977","displayorder":1}],"datecomputed":1974,"signed":null,"restrictions":"Restricted","classification":"Sculpture","packages":[{"packageid":210959,"name":"Putnam_Collection"},{"packageid":211812,"name":"Campus_Art_Online"},{"packageid":196699,"name":"MoCo-Kinetic art"}],"catalograisonne":null,"classifications":[{"id":2054791,"classification":"sculpture"}],"exhibitions":[],"cultures":[],"primaryimage":["https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/IMG_5698"],"displaytitle":"Spheric Theme","displayculture":null,"displaymaker":"Naum Gabo, American, born Russia, 1890–1977","alt_numbers":[],"captionhtml":"Naum Gabo (American, born Russia, 1890–1977), <i>Spheric Theme</i>, 1973–74. Stainless steel; 244 x 193 cm. The John B. Putnam Jr. Memorial Collection, Princeton University (y1974-85)","displaydate":"1973–74","medium":"Stainless steel","media":[{"id":198053,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/Gabo","isprimary":0,"rank":4,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":"Restricted","caption":"Installation image"},{"id":200221,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/IMG_5698","isprimary":1,"rank":1,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":"Restricted","caption":"PUAM photo"},{"id":200222,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/IMG_5702","isprimary":0,"rank":3,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":"Restricted","caption":"PUAM photo"},{"id":200223,"uri":"https://media.artmuseum.princeton.edu/iiif/3/collection/IMG_5708","isprimary":0,"rank":2,"mediatypeid":1,"mediaviewtype":"(not assigned)","restrictions":"Restricted","caption":"PUAM photo"}],"displayperiod":null,"extended_content":false,"campuscollections":"true","bibliography":[{"boilertext":"Jane McCarthy and Laurily K. Epstein, <em>A guide to the sculpture parks and gardens of America</em>, (New York, NY: Michael Kesend Pub., 1996).","citation":"Jane McCarthy and Laurily K. Epstein, <em>A guide to the sculpture parks and gardens of America</em>, (New York, NY: Michael Kesend Pub., 1996).","date":1996,"id":588,"uri":"https://search.worldcat.org/title/34598105"},{"boilertext":"Patrick Joseph Kelleher, <em>Living with Modern Sculpture: the John B. Putnam, Jr., Memorial Collection</em>,&nbsp;(Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Art Museum, 1982).","citation":"Patrick Joseph Kelleher, <em>Living with Modern Sculpture: the John B. Putnam, Jr., Memorial Collection</em>,&nbsp;(Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Art Museum, 1982)., 48–51","date":1982,"id":579,"uri":"https://search.worldcat.org/title/8417712"},{"boilertext":"Karin Dienst, ed., <EM>Sculpture of Princeton University: including works from the John B. Putnam Jr. Memorial Collection</EM>, (Princeton, NJ: Published by the Office of Communications, in association with the Princeton University Art Museum, 2004).","citation":"Karin Dienst, ed., <EM>Sculpture of Princeton University: including works from the John B. Putnam Jr. Memorial Collection</EM>, (Princeton, NJ: Published by the Office of Communications, in association with the Princeton University Art Museum, 2004)., 42–43, illus.","date":2004,"id":580,"uri":"https://search.worldcat.org/title/377832754"}],"nowebuse":"False","periods":[],"department":"Modern and Contemporary Art","attribute_groups":[{"id":2199324,"term":"Art Since 1945","termtype":"Collecting Area"},{"id":2199325,"term":"North American Art","termtype":"Collecting Area"},{"id":2199328,"term":"Campus Art","termtype":"Collecting Area"}],"daterange":"A.D. 1945-present","dateend":1974,"depicted":[],"titles":[{"title":"Spheric Theme","titletype":"Primary Title","displayorder":1}],"hasimage":"true","creditlinerepro":"Art © Naum Gaco / Annely Juda Fine Art, New York","objectnumber":"y1974-85","inscribed":null,"texts":[{"texttype":"Online","textpurpose":"Gallery Label","textentryhtml":"<EM>Spheric Theme</EM> is an iconic work by the Russian Constructivist artist Naum Gabo. Its intersecting stainless-steel plates and hollow, netted center represent the culmination of the artist’s studies in stereometry—the measuring of space. With his knowledge of engineering, Gabo desired to progress art to the level of modern science. In his view, art was weighed down in the solidity of ancient times, while modern engineers had discovered new methods of design and construction to allow for lighter, stronger, and more efficient structures. The effect, created by the sculpture’s circulating reflective elements, is ethereal. Gabo emphasized that the work’s essential qualities are both spatial and spiritual: it “is not an image of anything but itself.” The concept of time is also a key element in <EM>Spheric Theme</EM>. Gabo and his brother, the artist Antoine Pevsner, wrote in their 1920 <EM>Realistic Manifesto</EM> that they define time in terms of life. As Gabo would later say of the continuous and yet fragile loops of Spheric Theme: “Nothing is more durable than life. And it is a work of life.”","remarks":"Campus Art Online"}],"datebegin":1973,"sortnumber":"1974   85y","published_date":"2026-04-10 15:40:35.582844","objectid":32092,"dimensions":"244 x 193 cm. (96 1/16 x 76 in.)","on_view":true}