Born in Romania in 1876, Constantin Brancusi studied the fine arts in his native country before immigrating to Paris in 1904. After completing his training at the École des Beaux-Arts, he broke with traditional sculptural practices, creating a language of sculpture that reduced forms to their essential elements. Though not associated with any specific art movement, Brancusi gained a powerful reputation within the art community by the 1910s. His studio became a work of art in itself, serving not only as a workshop and home but as an ever-changing site for the exhibition of his sculpture. Brancusi lived in Paris until his death in 1957. As influential today as during the artist's lifetime, Brancusi's sculpture and his ideas about art continue to challenge and inspire contemporary artists.

Curators

Ann Temkin
Margit Rowell

Itinerary

Centre Georges Pompidou, Musee National d'Art Moderne, Paris
Philadelphia Museum of Art