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Bird in Space

Constantin Brancusi French, born Romania
1923
Not on view
From the 1920s to the 1940s, the theme of a bird in flight preoccupied Brancusi. He concentrated on the animals’ movement, rather than their physical attributes. In Bird in Space, the sculptor eliminated wings and feathers, elongated the swell of the body, and reduced the head and beak to a slanted oval plane. Balanced on a slender conical footing, the figure’s upward thrust appears unfettered. This sculpture is part of a series that includes seven marble sculptures and nine bronze casts.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Bird in Space
  • Artist: Constantin Brancusi (French (born Romania), Hobita 1876–1957 Paris)
  • Date: 1923
  • Medium: Marble
  • Dimensions: Overall (with base): 56 3/4 × 6 1/2 in. (144.1 × 16.5 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Florene M. Schoenborn, 1995
  • Object Number: 1996.403.7ab
  • Rights and Reproduction: © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Golden Bird, Constantin Brancusi French, born Romania, Gelatin silver print
Golden Bird
Constantin Brancusi
ca. 1920
Mlle. Pogany II, Constantin Brancusi French, born Romania, Gelatin silver print
Mlle. Pogany II
Constantin Brancusi
ca. 1920
[Self-Portrait in Studio], Constantin Brancusi French, born Romania, Gelatin silver print
[Self-Portrait in Studio]
Constantin Brancusi
1923
Study for the Sculpture "The First Step", Constantin Brancusi French, born Romania, Wax crayon on paper
Study for the Sculpture "The First Step"
Constantin Brancusi
ca. 1913
Sleeping Muse, Constantin Brancusi French, born Romania, Bronze
Sleeping Muse
Constantin Brancusi
1910

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