
Carl Henning Pedersen (Danish, 1913–1993). Flying Bird, 1951. Oil on canvas, 47 1/2 x 40 inches (120.6 x 101.6 cm). Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; Gift of Seymour H. Knox, Jr., 1964 (K1964:12). © Estate of Carl-Henning Pedersen / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris.
© Estate of Carl-Henning Pedersen / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris
Image downloads are for educational use only. For all other purposes, please see our Obtaining and Using Images page.

© Estate of Carl-Henning Pedersen / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris
Image downloads are for educational use only. For all other purposes, please see our Obtaining and Using Images page.

© Estate of Carl-Henning Pedersen / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris
Image downloads are for educational use only. For all other purposes, please see our Obtaining and Using Images page.



Carl-Henning Pedersen
Danish, 1913-2007
Flying Bird, 1951
oil on canvas
support: 47 1/2 x 40 inches (120.65 x 101.6 cm)
Collection Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York
Gift of Seymour H. Knox, Jr., 1964
K1964:12
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Information may change due to ongoing research.Glossary of Terms
Carl-Henning Pedersen’s paintings are expressive interpretations of a poetic, dreamlike world informed by his personal experiences and Nordic folklore. Flying Bird is from a series of works in which the artist depicts large birds dominating the picture plane. Pedersen equated the image of a bird with freedom, and it appears among even his earliest works. In the painting presented here, its head seems to be disproportionately large when compared to its body, which is only supported in flight by a tiny wing. This peculiar creature hovers over a nocturnal landscape that could be a series of hills, buildings, or perhaps another fantastical being. Yet, how could this be a night scene when the sun is shining from the upper-right corner? Such contradictory imaginings form the cornerstone of Pedersen’s whimsical visual iconography.
Label from Menagerie: Animals on View, March 11–June 4, 2017
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