Constantin Brâncuși
Romanian·1876–1957
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Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957) was a Romanian sculptor who spent most of his career in Paris and became a pioneer of modern abstract sculpture. Born in the village of Hobita, he walked much of the way to Paris in 1904. Rodin offered him a studio assistant position, but Brancusi refused, famously saying "Nothing grows in the shadow of great trees."
Brancusi stripped forms down to their purest essence. His polished bronze Bird in Space series reduced a bird to a single sweeping curve. The Kiss compressed two lovers into a single block of stone. His sculptures look as contemporary today as they did a century ago. A Sleeping Muse sold for $57.4 million in 2017. Our collection includes 3 works at MoMA.
Sculptures by Constantin Brâncuși
4 sculptures catalogued with museum locations. Browse all sculptures
Museums with Constantin Brâncuși's Work
2 museums display Brâncuși's works. Click any museum to see visiting info and the specific works they hold.
About Constantin Brâncuși
The Bird in Space series (1923-1940) is his most celebrated work. These polished bronze forms reduce a bird to a single aerodynamic curve. One version sold for $27.5 million in 2005.
MoMA in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris (which holds his reconstructed studio) have the largest collections. The Guggenheim and Philadelphia Museum of Art also hold major pieces.
When Rodin offered him an assistant position in 1907, Brancusi declined, saying "Nothing grows in the shadow of great trees." He wanted to develop his own radical approach to form rather than follow Rodin's expressionist style.
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