The Romanian born sculptor Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957) is commonly associated with the beginnings of modernist sculpture as it transferred into an abstract medium in the early 20th century. In this paper I addressed the work of Brancusi, specifically his well-known work The Newborn (1915), of which he made variations in different mediums. In his work, Brancusi sought to detour from the “expressive” as seen with Rodin, a popular sculptor of the time, and looked toward the Greeks where he directed himself to find the pure essence of his geometric forms (Xanthippos, 2006, para 2). It is my intention with this paper to convince the reader that Brancusi played a primary role in introducing the world to modernist sculpture and did so through a simplification of form and object, and putting the sculpture into a specific context, as well as looking back to the sculpture of ancient periods. I addressed not only The Newborn by Brancusi, but also a few of his other works, prehistoric sculptures, and works of more recent modern and contemporary artists. I spoke to the formal elements of Brancusi’s sculpture, how those relate to the art of ancient periods, and how his work has affected the way sculpture is treated in our contemporary times.
Constantin Brancusi. The Newborn. 1915. White Marble.
In the earliest decade of the 20th century Brancusi transitioned from modeling to carving after working for some time in Rodin’s studio (Curtis, 1999). As a sculptor Brancusi worked in a variety of mediums, which is a testament to his revolutionary nature as a modern artist. Prior to this time it was common place, with little exception, to see sculptors rely on a specific medium for their lives major work. This constant investigation into material paved the way for artists in the later part of the 20th century and beyond. Brancusi not only developed his individual works out of a variety of materials, but he also often constructed pedestals for his sculptures from contrasting materials, combining them to function along with his objects. Brancusi’s materials ranged from wood, stone, bronze, brass, and stainless steel, sometimes making different versions of the same object in the different materials, as in his reproductions of The Newborn.
Harpist. From Amorgos, Cyclades. Later part of the 3rd millennium.
One version of Brancusi’s The Newborn is carved from marble and its dimensions are small at approximately 5 ¾ x 8 ¼ x 9 inches. When looking at this work one immediately recognizes through scale the similarities between it and the fertility sculptures of the Paleolithic period, such as the Woman of Willendorf. However, through the angularity and simplicity of its form one might recognize this sculpture as being closely related to early Cycladic art, such as the Harpist (latter part of the 3rd millennium BCE). Brancusi’s The Newborn holds the “elemental power” of these works of Cycladic sculpture, but his work does not hold power in this relationship alone (Davies et al., 2011). The Newborn was carved from a single, small piece of marble into an ovoid form. A large relief has been carved out of the lower portion of this object with a small chip remaining, which functions somewhat as a chin for the figure. A raised triangular shaped form has been carved from the upper portion of what could be considered the mouth of the figure, moving up towards the upper portion of the sculpture. There are no eyes or any other features to this form that would distinguish it as a figure of a child’s head. Still, minus these other distinguishing features we recognize this form as one of a screaming child. What I believe is important about this work, and important about Brancusi’s work in general, is that it is not a portrait of a child, but a form that evokes the qualities of an infant. This quality is further reinforced by Brancusi’s decision to display this sculpture low to the viewer’s gaze to assist us in the reading, as I addressed later.
One might question how Brancusi’s intended display of his artwork functioned along with the sculptures themselves. It is obvious that Brancusi was compelled to “introduce more variety into our experience” of his works by creating for them specific pedestals or methods of display (Xanthippos, 2006, para 13). This creation of a site-specific environment for his sculptures is evident in many works by Brancusi. Take for example Bird in Space (1923) which sits atop a cylindrical stone base on top of a wood pedestal in the shape of an hourglass. This manner of creating a “stacked system of presentation” allows Brancusi to remove his sculptures from the space of the gallery and in a sense place them into their own space (Davies et al, 2011). Not only did Brancusi create these environments for his sculptures, but he also displayed them in new and creative ways that he believed would alter our perception of and relationship to his works. In contrast to Bird in Space it was Brancusi’s intention with The Newborn that it be displayed on a lower-level pedestal. With this method of display it was Brancusi’s intention that the viewer look down upon the work, as an adult would look over an infant in a cradle.
Constantin Brancusi. Bird in Space. 1923. Bronze.
Brancusi stated that “Simplicity is not an end in art, but one arrives at simplicity in spite of oneself in approaching the real sense of things” (Davies et al, 2011, 973). This statement by Brancusi gets straight to the heart of his artistic practice. Brancusi did not attempt, as I stated above, to make portrait representations of his subjects, but to get to the pure elemental fact of his forms. Brancusi’s Bird in Space is an example of his above statement and how it applies to his sculpture. With Bird in Space Brancusi has presented to us the pure form of flight. As a form Bird in Space is presented to us in bronze, standing 54 inches tall, in a crescent shape. What is particularly interesting about this form is the way Brancusi draws line with his sculpture. The lines of the sculpture do not appear to only identify the shape of the form but identify the space in which the form encompasses. This method of working with space has had relevance to later sculptors of the 20th century and Brancusi’s influence can be found in the work of American sculptor Richard Serra who often visited Brancusi’s studio while in Europe. Serra stated, about Brancusi’s method of casting and carving, that he was “radical” and that “he was able to break away from the formalism of the pedestal” (Guggenheim, 2011). Serra has continued with this tradition of moving away from the “formalism of the pedestal” as can be seen in any number of his large scale works such as, Torqued Ellipse IV (1998). With this work, which impacts the viewer as its spatial relationship changes with the viewer’s relationship to the form, Serra continues with Brancusi’s investigation into space through form.
Richard Serra. Torqued Ellipse IV. 1998. Weatherproof Steel.
In conclusion, we have seen that the work of Brancusi, specifically his highlighted work The Newborn, was highly innovative for its time and introduced the world to a new form of sculpture. Brancusi’s forms looked to the past for inspiration for their pure simplicity and looked to the future where they have inspired sculptors of the later 20th century. Brancusi stated, “What my work is aiming at is, above all, realism: I pursue the inner, hidden reality, the very essence of objects in their own intrinsic fundamental nature; this is my only deep preoccupation” (The Art Story, 2014). Brancusi does capture this realism, though not in a representational sense. He does capture the essence of these figurative ideas though a relationship with his abstract forms. Brancusi gave us a minimalist and abstract view of sculpture at a time when most sculpture was still figurative.
References
Curtis, P. (1999). Sculpture 1900-1945. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Davies, P.J.E., Denny, W.B., Hofrichter, F.F., Jacobs, J., Roberts, A.M., & Simon, D.L. (2011). Janson’s History of Art (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Guggenheim. (2011, October 8). Brancusi-Serra. Guggenheim. Retrieved from http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/exhibitions/past/exhibit/4266
Xanthippos, D. (2006, August 8). Brancusi’s Torsos: Pure Platonic Forms?. Ancient Worlds. Retrieved from http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/803632
The Art Story. (2014). Constantin Brancusi. The Art Story. http://www.theartstory.org/artistbrancusi-constantin.htm