The Green Snake 1974

Alexander Calder created this gouache painting, "The Green Snake" in 1974, toward the end of his career. During the post-war period, art became less about literal representation and more about conveying movement and emotion. Calder, known for his innovative mobiles, brings this sensibility to a static, two-dimensional form. Here we see a playful, almost cartoon-like rendering of a snake, coiling above an arrangement of geometric shapes in primary colors. This snake, with its whimsical expression, deviates from the traditional, often fear-inducing representation of the animal, which we can find throughout Western art history. The simple, bold shapes and colors evoke a sense of childlike wonder, inviting viewers to engage with the work on an intuitive level. Calder’s distinctive style transforms these ordinary objects into something dynamic. The piece invites us to reconsider our relationship with the natural world. It balances on a knife's edge between seriousness and play, challenging us to find joy in the unexpected.