Chaim Gross — Acrobat Study (Stacked Figures)

Chaim Gross — Acrobat Study (Stacked Figures)

Date: c. 1940s
Medium: Walnut-ink wash drawing on paper
Dimensions: 9 3/4 x 14 in.
Signature: Lower right, “Chaim Gross”

Description:
This fluid ink-wash drawing is a classic example of Chaim Gross’s rapid-gesture studies for his dynamic sculptural compositions. Created with sweeping lines and pooling walnut-ink washes, the work depicts multiple intertwined acrobatic figures—an exploration of balance, vertical lift, and rhythmic motion. Gross frequently produced these improvisational studies as a way of working out the structural and emotional energy of his multi-figure wood and bronze sculptures.

The drawing displays his hallmark qualities:

• continuous, unbroken linework that suggests movement without fully defining the forms

• stacked, interdependent bodies characteristic of his mid-century circus and acrobat imagery

• wash effects that create depth and emphasize the sculptural volume of limbs and torsos

These ink studies are essential documents of Gross’s creative process, revealing how he conceived complex group compositions before carving or casting them.

Provenance:
Lombardo Collection → Velvet Foundation for the Arts (VLAF)