Lunar Bird (work of art)
Artwork Info
Key Ideas
- This sculpture is an example of surrealist art.
- Surrealism is an art movement that began in the 1920s. Surrealist artists viewed art as a way for the subconscious mind to express itself.
- The original version of this sculpture was a small clay maquette (three-dimensional model) that the artist made by hand in the 1940s. The sculpture was enlarged and cast in bronze 20 years later.
- Joan Miró was a Spanish artist who created many surrealist sculptures and paintings.
- Miró’s work was inspired by dreams and the night sky. He created imaginary creatures like this one by combining elements from the earth and sky.
Learn More
Lunar Bird (also known as Moonbird) was first created by Spanish sculptor Joan Miró in 1945. He molded the original version by hand, as a small clay maquette or preliminary model for a sculpture. It was approximately eight inches tall. In the 1960s he recreated this sculpture as a bronze statue that stands more than seven feet tall. Miró’s Lunar Bird is one of many imaginary beings he created that combine elements from the earth and sky. Crescent moon shapes, like the ones that make up this sculpture, and other cosmic objects (like the sun and stars) are recurring elements in his work.
The spectacle of the sky overwhelms me. I’m overwhelmed when I see, in an immense sky, the crescent of the moon, or the sun.
Joan Miró
Miró was part of the surrealist art movement of the early 20th century. Surrealist artists and writers began their movement in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s, as a reaction to World War I. They wanted to challenge reality and society’s norms by exploring the subconscious mind and dreams through their art and writing. Other famous surrealist artists include René Magritte, Frida Kahlo, and Salvador Dalí.
Additional Resources
Resources for Teachers
- Watch a video of a Miró-inspired art lesson.
- Visit a web page to explore the artist’s background and view images of his most important works.
- Read an article about the surrealist art movement.
Resources for Students
- Watch a video about Miró.
- Watch a video about this sculpture.
- Explore a virtual gallery of more than 200 works by this artist.
Images
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Lunar Bird
A dark brown sculpture of a birdlike creature on a round, concrete pedestal in an outdoor courtyard. The sculpture has thick legs and small wings, and a crescent moon shape on its head.
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Lunar Bird by Joan Miró (on loan from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden)
Side view of a dark brown sculpture of a birdlike creature on a round, concrete pedestal in an outdoor courtyard. The sculpture has thick legs and small wings, and a crescent moon shape on its head.
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Lunar Bird by Joan Miró (on loan from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden)
Rear view of a dark brown sculpture of a birdlike creature on a round, concrete pedestal in an outdoor courtyard. The sculpture has thick legs and small wings, and a crescent moon shape on its head.
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Lunar Bird by Joan Miró (on loan from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden)
Side view of a dark brown sculpture of a birdlike creature on a round, concrete pedestal in an outdoor courtyard. The sculpture has thick legs and small wings, and a crescent moon shape on its head.
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Lunar Bird by Joan Miró (on loan from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden)
Front view of a dark brown sculpture of a birdlike creature on a round, concrete pedestal in an outdoor courtyard. The sculpture has thick legs and small wings, and a crescent moon shape on its head.