1945

Ancient Bird and Mummified Bird

American, 1901 - 1982

This painting is a stunning illustration of Leon Kelly's mature Surrealist style. The mysterious composition shows two birds and a cocoon-like figure, their musculature carefully delineated in muted red, green, and blue tones against an almost completely blank yet intriguing background. Kelly's distinctive painting technique reflects his interest in the work of the old masters and his close study of anatomy and dissection. He is the only Philadelphia artist to have been associated and shown with the Surrealists, and Ancient Bird and Mummified Bird is a quintessential example of American Surrealism at its very best.