Tonal Sculpture
1977
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
beryllium copper with bronze weights
Dimensions
overall: 538.48 × 122.87 × 122.87 cm (212 × 48 3/8 × 48 3/8 in.) gross weight: 1600.000 lb
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CMC
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Bernard and Audrey Berman
Accession Number
1984.103.1
Art Historical Context
Harry Bertoia's *Tonal Sculpture* (1977) stands as a monumental example of the artist's innovative fusion of visual art and sound. Towering over 17 feet high (538.48 × 122.87 × 122.87 cm) and weighing a robust 1,600 pounds, this work is crafted from resilient beryllium copper rods topped with bronze weights. Installed in the National Gallery of Art's CMC department as a gift from Bernard and Audrey Berman, it invites visitors to engage directly with the piece, transforming passive viewing into an interactive symphony. Bertoia, an Italian-American sculptor and designer active in the mid-20th c...