Analysis Of Alexander Calder's Diana

As you enter the Great Stair Hall, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you are met with a view of a statue that stands fourteen feet tall. Made of gilded copper, this large statue is Diana by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. It depicts the nude goddess Diana; balanced on one foot atop of a gold ball, with poise and grace drawing back her bow and arrow in preparation for release. Due to its size, color, and placement this piece is the focal point in the room. Directly across from the statue suspended above the open space and staircase below is Alexander Calder’s Ghost. This sculpture is not well lit and the area on the second floor in which is hangs is an almost empty space that doesn’t have other gallery entrances near it and almost feels closed off. Hung from the ceiling, Ghost is a thirty-four foot tall mobile comprised of numerous metal rods and painted sheets of metal. The sheet metal was cut to shapes that bring to mind the image of flying birds or falling leaves and other forms found in nature.
Diana is overlooked in the sense that even though she is the point in the room where everyone’s eyes are drawn to, I observed that not many people actually stopped to examine her or read her tag, most just took a picture on their photo to later post to Instagram and continued along into the next gallery. Ghost, I feel is over looked because, unlike the statue, it is not flagged between two large columns with numerous lights bringing attention to it. Instead it is floating above your head; unlit and you would only notice it if you looked up toward the