THE SYMBOLISM OF CONSTANTIN BRÂNCUŞI’S SCULPTURESby Amira Iorgovan

ABOUTCONSTANTIN BRÂNCUŞI

He was a Romanian sculptor who made his career in France. Formal studies took him first to Bucharest, then to Munich, then to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. His art emphasizes clean geometrical lines that balance forms inherent in his materials with the symbolic allusions of representational art.

HIS CREATIONS

THE KISSThe main idea of “The Kiss” is easy: love, the fusion of two entities restore the original unity of life. It symbolizes two lovers forever chained. It was created as a funeral stone for a Russian student, Tania Rasevskaia, who killed herself for Dr. Solomon Basile Marbé. The sculpture is situated in the Montparnasse graveyard in Paris. It was built in 1911 by Brancusi for the student’s parents’ and doctor’s request. The girl’s parents didn’t agree the monument and they asked Brancusi to build another one, Tania’s sculpture. He created one, but he wasn’t satisfied with it, so he destroyed it, as he was doing with all the creations he didn’t like. He left on the grave the funeral monument that symbolizes for him love.

THE BIRD IN SPACE

The Romanian signification “Maiastra” means in Italian “Maestro” and it refers to music. In Romanian it means a miraculous bird with supernatural powers which is solving dramatic situations with a happy end. It can transform any person in a prince or a princess and it can metamorphose itself. These miracles happen just in dreams or imagination. Brancusi’ imaginary is always colored by fantastic stories of childhood. For him, when you are no more a child, you’re dead. The return to childhood is the essential condition for creation and life. Brancusi built the first “Maiastra” in white marble in 1909-1910. Then, for 30 years, he made 7 others similar birds in white, yellow, grey marble and bronze. In time he had the idea of transforming the miraculous bird in a flying bird. The last bird was built in bronze in 1941.

THE ENDLESS COLUMN

This work permitted him to realize his dream to locate one of his sculptures in the nature. For 40 years, the artist has made a lot of experiences with pieces of wood which were stored in his workshop. He made his first column in 1925, of wood with 9 equal rhomboid modules. It was exposed in Showroom of Tuileries. It was more than 7 meters height. This experience encouraged him to hope that he will install a monument of exceptional size in a appropriate place. The Romanian people heard about his fame in Paris and USA and they made an order. They asked him to build a monument for the soldiers dead in the First World War in Valley of Jiu. In 1937, Brancusi went in Romania, at Targu-Jiu. He was helped by a engineer, specialized in metals, to make sketches for Endless Column. The Column has 15 full elements and two half-elements. Each element is 180 cm, and the full column is 29.35m. The Column is a part from a project which contains another two elements: the “Gate of the Kiss” and the “Table of Silence” . The Sculptural Ensemble of Constantin Brancusi at Targu-Jiu brings a true homage to the heroes: silence, admiration and gratitude of future generations.

THE END