“The Path toward Universality” from Localness in Constantin Brancuşi’s Sculptures and the Innovations He Brought to the Art of Sculpture

The main concern of this study entitled “The Path toward Universality from Localness in Constantin Brancuşi’s Sculptures and the Innovations He Brought to the Art of Sculpture” is to analyze the most significant series of works of Constantin Brancuşi, who is a Romanian sculptor of the early 20th century, and to reveal the elements he borrowed from folk art, which is his source of inspiration, how he used them, what he tried to express, and what is the artistic novelty that he brought into sculpture. The artist, who received his art education in Romania, spent his life in Paris until he died, after he lived with Rodin for a while, who was an important sculptor. Although Brancuşi lived a modern city life, he did not forget the traditions, beliefs and local motifs of the Romanian society he came from, and he used them in his works. How did the local forms that constitute his works, turn into universal expressions which are still valid? His works which are perceived as abstract at first can be seen as concrete once the Romanian traditional folk art, tales and beliefs are examined. Constantin Brancuşi’s way of expression came out of local representation and reached to universal values. The forms he used are the archetypal forms that constitute a universal expression although they represent Romanian social and cultural elements. The art of sculpture which was evaluated according to academic ideal beauty in a visual aesthetical aspect, gained new aesthetical values at the beginning of the 20th century with Constantin Brancuşi’s way of expression. Brancuşi’s sculptures are divided into three groups. Human and animal figures, wood sculpt anthropomorphic forms, and public space monument projects and sculptures. In this study, only human and animal themed works are investigated.