Bronze Sculpture of Rembrandt Bugatti’s ‘Serpentaire femelle’

Rembrandt’s Bugatti’s “Serpentaire femelle” depicts a female secretary bird. As a bird with the longest legs of any bird of prey, the secretary bird can tower over the grass in the African Savannah, searching for food. The base of the sculpture is modeled after stone, reminding the viewer of the creature’s captivity and the faux environments that zoos present. The bird is a sentry-like creature. The surface of the bronze is hard, the modelling crisp and angular, and detail is pared down to accentuate the bird’s sleek, hard lines.