Anthony Caro
He liberated sculpture from the pedestal, creating bold, abstract steel assemblies meant to be encountered on human footing.
1924–2013 (age 89)·English sculptor·Birthday: March 8·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Anthony Caro began his career in the shadow of a giant, working as an assistant to Henry Moore. The experience taught him about form and material, but a transformative trip to America in 1959 showed him a new path. Inspired by the scale and directness of Abstract Expressionist painting and the welded steel of David Smith, Caro returned to London and revolutionized his practice. He abandoned modelling and casting, instead welding and bolting together beams, plates, and industrial scrap into sprawling, brightly painted structures. Crucially, he placed these works directly on the ground, dissolving the traditional barrier of the plinth and inviting viewers into a shared space. This move democratized sculpture, making it an environmental experience. For decades, Caro's studio was a forge of constant experimentation, pushing steel into ever more inventive and lyrical configurations.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Anthony was born in 1924, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anthony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1924
#1 Movie
The Sea Hawk
Anthony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1924Born
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1929Started school
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1937Became a teenager
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Could drive
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1942Could vote
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Turned 21
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1954Turned 30
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 40
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 50
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 60
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 70
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 80
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Died at 89
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Pioneered the groundbreaking practice of placing large, abstract steel sculptures directly on the floor, changing the viewer's relationship to the work.
- Created major public installations worldwide, including 'Promenade' at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
- Was knighted in 1987 for his services to British art.
- Taught at St Martin's School of Art for decades, influencing generations of younger British sculptors.
Did You Know?
He originally trained as an engineer at Cambridge University before turning to art.
His early work was figurative, and he destroyed many of these pieces after his stylistic shift.
He collaborated with architects on several projects, including a series of sculptures for the Millennium Bridge in London.
Later in life, he created a celebrated series of large-scale works inspired by classical Greek mythology and architecture.
“I want to make sculpture that's as open as possible, that doesn't close things off.”
