LA GAZZA LADRA (The Thieving Magpie) by artist Francesca Loi

LA GAZZA LADRA (The Thieving Magpie)
This anthropomorphic doll, half magpie and half human, was inspired by Gioacchino Rossini’s melodrama La Gazza Ladra. The Opera tells of Ninetta, the house maid, who nearly goes to the gallows for stealing a silver spoon. At the last moment it is revealed that the silver thief was actually a magpie that has been hiding items in the church tower.

Mixed media OOAK art doll: air dry clay, apoxie clay, sari silk ribbon, organdie, vintage French lace remnants, wool locks, imitation silver leaf, pure silk ribbons, wire. The body (not posable) is made of white, needle-felted Corriedale Top, over a wire armature (to give her the right shape), wrapped in a sari silk ribbon. Head and hands are sculpted in air dry clay. 

Every feather has been made using a wire inside organdie fabric and hand stitched on both sides, creating a textural “vein”. Some are decorated with vintage French lace remnants and some are needle felted using wool locks. For the upper part I manipulated organdie strips on the go and sewn them in place.
The spoon is made of wire and air dry clay finished with silver imitation leaf and matt varnish.

She has a metal ring on her back, to be displayed against a wall. Completely hand sewn.
Size: 12.5" tall (32 cm)