CONSTANTIN BRANCUSI

Bird in Space

Constantin Brancusi was from peasant stock, born in 1876 in a place that captures our modern American imaginations--Southern Romania, the Carpathian Mountains. But as an obvious talent at a young age, he won a scholarship to the Fine Arts School of Bucharest. He pioneered abstraction in sculpture, using both his primitive craft roots and sophisticated style he developed in cultured cities. He died in 1957.

His style is wildly varied. The most famous piece of his reminds me of an Oscar-- Bird in Space.

The Kiss

The next four pieces are currently housed at the Tate in London:

Maiastra

Danaide

Head

Fish

The Muse is a recurring subject for Brancusi.

Sleeping Muse