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A framed print of The Firebird/Petrushka, 1983, by Boris Bućan.
The most iconic image in Bućan’s oeuvre, this six-sheet poster for the Croatian National Theatre in Split advertises paired performances of two one-act ballets by Igor Stravinsky, The Firebird and Petrushka. In the earlier fairytale, the mythical Firebird helps a prince defeat an evil sorcerer and free a group of princesses, while the later one chronicles the ill-fated love triangle among three puppets that have been brought to life by a magician.
To represent the Firebird, Bućan created a hybrid creature with an avian head and neck on a female body. She stands in a heroic pose in red stilettos as she strides with a raised fist toward an unseen enemy. Bućan frequently incorporated and modernized art-historical motifs and styles in his posters. Here, the figure’s pose and two-dimensional profile suggest ancient Egyptian relief sculpture, while the large leaves in the background are similar to patterns designed by artists of the Vienna Secession.
Boris Bućan was a Croatian artist and graphic designer of Ukrainian-Jewish heritage whose long career began during the late 1960s in Zagreb. Not committed to a single style, he continuously developed his artistic practice, often appearing to anticipate art movements that emerged outside what was then the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Lightweight plastic frame. Measures 15.8 x 15.8 inches.
