Romania launches public subscription for buying Brancusi sculpture. Who made the first donation?

The Culture Ministry has officially launched the national subscription organized for buying Cumintenia Pamantului (The Wisdom of the Earth), the famous sculpture of Romanian-born artist Constantin Brancusi. The Romanian Government will pay EUR 11 million for this sculpture, through a joint effort of the state and the citizens. The Government will contribute with EUR 5 million to this amount while the rest of the money will be raised through voluntary donations by individuals and companies. Culture minister Vlad Alexandrescu inaugurated the Cumintenia Pamantului national subscription with a first symbolic donation of EUR 100, reports the local media. According to a statement of the Culture Ministry, several banks have answered to the invitation to support this national subscription, by offering a series of financial facilities needed to raise the funds. “Cumintenia Pamantului’s acquisition by public subscription is one of the most important national projects that can strengthen the solidarity between the state and the society. The joint action proposed by the Government and the Culture Ministry represents an important effort to protect and save the national heritage, to which are invited all those who are interested in valuing the work of Constantin Brancusi,” reads the ministry’s statement. The accounts for this public subscription are open at the State Treasury, BCR, BRD, UniCredit Bank, Banca Transilvania, CEC Bank, and Raiffeisen Bank, in RON, EUR, and USD. Constantin Brancusi was born in 1876 in Hobita, southern Romania. Known as “the father of modern sculpture,” he was a painter, architect and a master of “abstract art.” He died in 1957, aged 81. Read more about him here. Cumintenia Pamantului is probably one of Constantin Brancusi’s most important sculptures still on Romanian territory. The sculpture has been part of a private collection for many years, but the owners decided to sell it in September 2014. Romania will pay EUR 11 mln for famous Brancusi sculpture. Romanian taxpayers can contribute to buying Brancusi’s sculpture Romanian state-owned companies could contribute to buying famous sculpture Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com (Photo source: Vlad Alexandrescu on Facebook; Photo credit: Octav Gane)