Sky Swirl (From the Flying Colors Portfolio)

Name/Title

Sky Swirl (From the Flying Colors Portfolio)

Entry/Object ID

2025.3

Artwork Details

Medium

lithograph on paper

Context

Credit Line: Gift of Dr. Leon and Barbara Rosenberg

Made/Created

Artist

Alexander Calder

Date made

1974

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Frame Size

Height

37-7/8 in

Width

32-1/8 in

Dimension Description

Image Size

Height

26 in

Width

20 in

Interpretative Labels

Label

In the mid-1960s, Braniff International Airways underwent a major rebranding under the direction of Mary Wells Lawrence, with the help of Alexander Girard and Emilio Pucci. This included repainting their aircraft in a range of bold colors like orange, turquoise, and lavender. In 1973, Alexander Calder was commissioned to paint a DC-8 Jet for Braniff Airlines with his bold designs in red, yellow, and blue with specially formulated aerospace paint. He was also commissioned to create a series of artworks related to this "Flying Colors" theme, resulting in a portfolio of lithographs like the one seen here; six different compositions were created. Braniff's "Flying Colors" campaign was a bold and memorable move, and Calder's artwork helped solidify its place in aviation history. The campaign is still recognized today as a groundbreaking example of corporate branding.