The Bird, Uranus II
1957
Bronze
Etienne Hajdu
French, b. Romania, 1907-1996
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1966
Of Hungarian descent, Hajdu moved to Paris in 1927, where he studied classical sculpture and painting. He quickly developed an interest in contemporary art and launched himself into the study of figurative and abstract sculpture. Self-taught, he worked with a variety of materials including slate, aluminum, copper, bronze, marble, and onyx. He continued to draw, which allowed him the opportunity to experiment with light and space. The Bird, an excellent example of his work, demonstrates the smooth and elegant form of his sculptures. The shape of the piece and the web-like pattern of lines suggest a creature poised to take flight.