William Baziotes (American, 1912–1963). *White Bird*, 1957. Oil on canvas, 60 x 48 inches (152.4 x 121.9 cm). Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; Gift of Seymour H. Knox, Jr., 1957 (K1957:13). © Estate of William Baziotes.

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William Baziotes

American, 1912-1963

White Bird, 1957

oil on canvas

support: 60 x 48 inches (152.4 x 121.92 cm); framed: 62 1/2 x 50 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches (158.75 x 128.27 x 6.99 cm)

Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York

Gift of Seymour H. Knox, Jr., 1957

K1957:13

More Details

Inscriptions

signature / lower left / Baziotes

Class

Paintings

Work Type

Oil painting

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Verbal Description Audio

William Baziotes was strongly influenced by Surrealist imagery, which sought to channel the unconscious as a means to unlock the power of the mind. This inspired him to develop a visual vocabulary of strange, biomorphic imaginings. Although White Bird does not depict a specific species of fowl, the large white form that dominates the center of the canvas and surrounding linear elements convey a feeling of weightlessness. The artist was also fascinated with the power of myth, stating, “The things in my paintings are intended to strike something that is an emotional involvement—that has to do with the human personality and all the mysteries of life, not simply colors or abstract balances.”

Label from Menagerie: Animals on View, March 11–June 4, 2017