Crawling Squirrel

Albert Laessle, Crawling Squirrel, ca. 1916, bronze on marble base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the heirs of Albert Laessle: Mrs. Albertine de Bempt Laessle, Mr. Albert M. Laessle and Mr. Paul Laessle, 1972.167.83
Albert Laessle, Crawling Squirrel, ca. 1916, bronze on marble base, 2 1⁄8 x 4 1⁄2 x 1 3⁄8 in. (5.5 x 11.4 x 3.6 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the heirs of Albert Laessle: Mrs. Albertine de Bempt Laessle, Mr. Albert M. Laessle and Mr. Paul Laessle, 1972.167.83

Artwork Details

Title
Crawling Squirrel
Artist
Date
ca. 1916
Location
Dimensions
2 1⁄8 x 4 1⁄2 x 1 3⁄8 in. (5.5 x 11.4 x 3.6 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the heirs of Albert Laessle: Mrs. Albertine de Bempt Laessle, Mr. Albert M. Laessle and Mr. Paul Laessle
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze on marble base
Classifications
Subjects
  • Study — sculpture model
  • Animal — squirrel
Object Number
1972.167.83
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1972.167.83

Artwork Description

Albert Laessle enjoyed working with animals so much that he eventually bought a studio in the country where he could keep his own. His subject matter was not always taken as seriously as that of other sculptors; even as an animal sculptor his choice of insects, lizards, frogs, and snails was uncommon among professional sculptors of his day. But it is precisely that uncommon element that makes Laessle’s work special and continues to give it a unique, imaginative spark. Unlike some artists who chose to sculpt animals for their decorative value, Laessle chose them for their expressive potential.

Works by this artist (33 items)

View all artworks
Albert Laessle, Bear Walking, 1916, bronze on marble base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the heirs of Albert Laessle: Mrs. Albertine de Bempt Laessle, Mr. Albert M. Laessle and Mr. Paul Laessle, 1971.122
Bear Walking
Artist
Date1916
bronze on marble base
On view
Albert Laessle, The Hunter, 1908, bronze on marble base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the heirs of Albert Laessle: Mrs. Albertine de Bempt Laessle, Mr. Albert M. Laessle and Mr. Paul Laessle, 1972.167.92
The Hunter
Artist
Date1908
bronze on marble base
On view
Albert Laessle, Defiance, 1939, bronze, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the heirs of Albert Laessle: Mrs. Albertine de Bempt Laessle, Mr. Albert M. Laessle and Mr. Paul Laessle, 1971.124
Defiance
Artist
Date1939
bronze
On view
Albert Laessle, Kingcrab and Beetle, 1903, bronze on marble base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the heirs of Albert Laessle: Mrs. Albertine de Bempt Laessle, Mr. Albert M. Laessle and Mr. Paul Laessle, 1972.167.93
Kingcrab and Beetle
Artist
Date1903
bronze on marble base
On view

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Paul Manship, Pygmalion and Galatea, 1963, gilded bronze on marble base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Paul Manship, 1966.47.85
Pygmalion and Galatea
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Bessie Potter Vonnoh, In Arcadia, ca. 1926, bronze on marble base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1994.8
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Artist
Dateca. 1926
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On view
Rudolf Hoflehner, "The difficulty of our time is a difficulty of the human spirit."-- Albert Schweitzer, 1875-1965. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man., ca. 1971, bronze on wood and marble base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Container Corporation of America, 1984.124.120
“The difficulty of our time is a difficulty of the human…
Artist
Dateca. 1971
bronze on wood and marble base
On view