Edith Head Costume Illustration for Ava Gardner in Blue

Edith Head Costume Illustration for Ava Gardner in Blue Bird, c1976

Edith Head (1897 - 1981), is considered to be the most influential costume designer in American film history as well as the most awarded woman with 8 Academy Awards won as Best Costumer between 1949-1973. Beginning as a Spanish teacher turned designer after her education at Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles, Head was hired as a designer at Paramount Studios where she worked for 44 years (1923-1967) after which she joined Universal Pictures by invitation from Alfred Hitchcock.

Blue Bird is a 1976 American-Soviet fantasy film adaptation based on the 1908 play L'Oiseau bleu by Maurice Maeterlinck, which centers on the adventures of two peasant children, brother and sister Mytyl and Tyltyl, on a quest for the Blue Bird of Happiness.

Ava Gardner as Luxury in Blue Bird, c1976. Designed by Edith Head.
Watercolor, marker, and ink on Bristol paper.

Approximate Measurements:
11" L x 8.5" W
Property from the Estate of Edgar Foster Daniels, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Condition excludes the frame, matting, and glass.The overall condition is very good though the paper has lightly yellowed from age and there are additional faint alternate view sketches on the right side margin. Everything is sold 'As Is'. The stated overall condition of the lot is based on the assumption that the wear is consistent with age and use. The absence of any reference to the condition of a lot does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections, or the effects of aging. All other condition issues are stated above. To request additional working condition photos, please contact us directly with the lot number. Condition is a matter of opinion of the evaluator and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Clients must review and agree to the Conditions of Sale before participating in an auction.