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Photography by Edward C. Robison III.

Geometric Mouse – Scale C

Drawing inspiration from Mickey Mouse, Claes Oldenburg’s Geometric Mouse – Scale C radically abstracts the animated character’s image without interfering with the strength of the symbol. In this work, Oldenburg retains the fictional character’s circular ears while swapping its round head for a square and adding two square eye holes, a long nose, and two chains with small circles on the ends, representing arms or the two buttons on Mickey’s iconic trousers.

ArtistClaes Oldenburg, Swedish American, 1929–2022
Date1971
MediumAnodized aluminum
Dimensions18 5/8 x 20 5/8 x 10 in. (47.3 x 52.4 x 25.4 cm)
Mark(s)proper left disc attached to chain: © 1971 Claes Oldenburg / Produced by Gemini G.E.L. II
Inscription(s)proper right disc attached to chain: CO 41/120
Credit LineCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, Gift of John Wilmerding, 2020.113
ClassificationSculpture
ProvenanceArtist; to (Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston, MA), 2009; to John Wilmerding, New York, NY; given to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR, 2020
On ViewNo
Geometric Mouse – Sc…18.6 × 20.6 in.Tennis Ball2.7 in. diameter

This artwork's face covers about 53× the area of a tennis ball.Drawn to the same scale.