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National Museum of Women in the Arts

The Firebird (From Stravinsky)

Close up of The Firebird (From Stravinsky)

A three-dimensional collage explodes into space with cut-out shapes of black, red, white and blue. Concentrated in the center, the piece dissipates towards the edges, with a bird's head peeking out of the morass towards the top. The canvas floats within a larger, white frame.
A three-dimensional collage explodes into space with cut-out shapes of black, red, white and blue. Concentrated in the center, the piece dissipates towards the edges, with a bird's head peeking out of the morass towards the top. The canvas floats within a larger, white frame.
Elisabetta Gut, L'Ucello di fuoco (Da Stravinsky), 1985; Paper cut-out and collage, 14 x 17 x 5 1/2 in.; National Museum of Women in the Arts, Gift of H.G. Spencer in honor of Lorraine Grace; © Elisabetta Gut

This unique artist’s book, like many of Elisabetta Gut’s works, is a visual representation of music and dance.

The Firebird evokes the lightness and plumage of a beautiful bird, a figure that animates the flowing music of Russian composer Igor Stravinsky’s famous ballet, first performed in Paris in 1910. Stravinsky’s Firebird is based on Russian folk tales of a magical, glowing bird that is both a blessing and a curse to its captor.

Artwork Details

  • Artist

    Elisabetta Gut

  • Title

    The Firebird (From Stravinsky)

  • Date

    1985

  • Medium

    Paper cutout, Wood collage

  • Dimensions

    8 1/2 x 11 x 2 1/4 in.

  • Donor Credit

    Gift of H.G. Spencer in honor of Lorraine Grace

  • Image Credit

    © Elisabetta Gut

  • On Display

    No

The Artist, Elisabetta Gut

Endowed with an aura of originality and poetic whimsy, Elisabetta Gut’s book objects must be seen rather than read.
Wearing a black turtleneck sweater, a light skinned woman leans on her jacked with her chin resting on her arm. She has straight, dark hair that is pulled back by a headband, and stares directly at the viewer.