Bird in Space
Abstract sculpture series focused on movement, not physical bird attributes.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuși created the series *Bird in Space* (originally *Pasărea în văzduh*). The first version, carved from marble, dates to 1923. Over two decades, Brâncuși produced the piece more than fourteen times in different materials, resulting in seven marble figures and nine bronze casts. In 2005, one sold at auction for $25.8 million, then a record for a sculpture.
Rather than depicting a bird’s physical features—no wings or feathers appear—Brâncuși focused on conveying its motion. The Met describes the form as having an “elongated body, and the head and beak are reduced to a slanted oval plane.” Each sculpture stands 287.7 centimeters tall. Seven are marble; the other nine are polished bronze.
These works are spread across multiple museums. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York holds the earliest and best-known example. Two bronze casts (1928 and around 1941) are at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Philadelphia’s Museum of Art has one bronze (1924) and one marble (1923–1924). The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., owns a marble from 1925 and a bronze from 1927. A 1926 bronze belongs to the Seattle Art Museum but is not currently displayed. Los Angeles County Museum of Art shows two bronzes (1925–1926 and 1927), and the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena has a 1931 bronze. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice holds a bronze of unknown casting date. The National Gallery of Australia in Canberra possesses two marbles, both from around 1931–1936—one white, one black.
In 1926, *Bird in Space* sparked a legal battle over U.S. customs duties. That October, the sculpture arrived in New York harbor on the steamship *Paris* with nineteen other Brâncuși works. Customs officials refused to classify the tall, polished bronze piece as art, instead taxing it as a manufactured metal object at 40% of its sale price—about $230 (over $3,130 in 2016 dollars). Artist Marcel Duchamp, photographer Edward Steichen (who planned to take the sculpture after its exhibition), and Brâncuși himself objected. The works were slated for the Brummer Gallery in New York and then the Arts Club in Chicago. Under public and artistic pressure, customs released the sculptures on bond, labeling them “Kitchen Utensils and Hospital Supplies,” while reconsidering the classification. Appraiser F. J. H. Kracke upheld the original duty, telling the *New York Ev
- artist
- Constantin Brâncuși
- nationality
- Romanian
- mediums
- marble, bronze
- first created
- 1923
- number of versions
- over 14
- record sale
- $25.8 million in 2005
- height
- 287.7 cm
Lore & Background
In the Bird in Space works, Brâncuși concentrated not on the physical attributes of the bird, but instead on its movement. For example, the sculpture does not feature wings or feathers. The Met's description depicts the art as featuring an 'elongated body, and the head and beak are reduced to a slanted oval plane.' The height of the sculpture is 287.7 cm. Seven of the sculptures in the series are made of marble, while the other nine were cast in polished bronze.
In 1926, Bird in Space was the subject of a court battle over its taxation by U.S. Customs. In October 1926, Bird in Space, along with 19 other Brâncuși sculptures, arrived in New York harbor aboard the steamship Paris. While works of art are not subject to custom duties, the customs officials refused to believe that the tall, thin piece of polished bronze was art. Therefore, the officials imposed the tariff for manufactured metal objects, 40% of the sale price or about $230. Marcel Duchamp, Edward Steichen, and Brâncuși himself were indignant. Under pressure, U.S. customs agreed to rethink their classification, releasing the sculptures on bond under 'Kitchen Utensils and Hospital Supplies.' Customs appraiser F. J. H. Kracke eventually confirmed the initial classification. Steichen filed an appeal. In November 1928, Judges Young and Waite found in favor of the artist, concluding that the object was 'beautiful and symmetrical in outline' and 'a work of art.' This was the first court decision to accept that a non-representational sculpture could be considered art.
Reader's Guide
Bird in Space is significant as a landmark in modern abstract sculpture and in legal definitions of art. Brâncuși's series, created over 20 years in marble and bronze, stripped the bird form to its essence of movement, eliminating wings and feathers. The 1928 U.S. Customs case, Brâncuși v. United States, established that non-representational sculpture could be considered art under the Tariff Act of 1922, a precedent for abstract works. The sculpture's record sale of $25.8 million in 2005 underscored its market value. The series resides in major museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, National Gallery of Art, and others. Its legacy extends to a classical music composition by Tim Corpus and a poem by Muriel Rukeyser. The case also raised questions about the competence of courts to judge aesthetics, resolved by Judge Waite's finding that the sculpture was 'beautiful, symmetrical, and ornamental.'
Did You Know?
- The original title in Romanian is Pasărea în văzduh.
- In 1926, U.S. Customs initially classified the sculpture as a manufactured metal object, not art, and imposed a 40% tariff.
- The sculpture was released on bond under 'Kitchen Utensils and Hospital Supplies' while its classification was debated.
- The 1928 court decision was the first to accept that a non-representational sculpture could be considered art.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created Bird in Space and when?
Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuși designed the series, completing the first marble carving in 1923. He continued refining the form for more than two decades, working in both stone and metal.
Why doesn't Bird in Space have wings or feathers?
Brâncuși intentionally removed every recognizable anatomical detail so the piece would express the feeling of upward flight rather than a literal bird. The smooth, elongated ovoid is meant to suggest speed and motion in pure form.
How many versions of Bird in Space were made?
Brâncuși produced over fourteen iterations, yielding seven marble carvings and nine bronze casts. Each version tightened the same essential silhouette while exploring different material qualities.
What record did Bird in Space set at auction?
A bronze cast sold in 2005 for $25.8 million, which at the time was the highest price ever paid for a sculpture. That sale underscored the series' place as one of the most coveted works of early modernism.
Why is Bird in Space considered important in sculpture history?
The series is a defining example of early twentieth-century abstraction, reducing a living creature to a single gesture of movement. It helped steer the medium away from realistic representation toward essential, gestural form.
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