The Endless Column
Targu Jiu, Romania
Background History:
Brancusi was asked to erect a monument to honor the heroic deeds of the Gorji people during the First World War. The sculpture was commissioned by the Woman's League of Gorji. Brancusi decided to accept this commission, in which this would be the climax of his career. The monument first began construction in 1937 and was finished in 1938., meaning that his sculpture took about a year to make. The monument was constructed from zinc and brass clad, iron modules threaded onto a steel spine.
Artist's Statement:
Brancusi wanted to complete this project for the Romanians since he felt that he needed to something for his Native Romani. Some of his early ideas for the monument was rejected by the people who commissioned the monument. It took awhile before Brancusi finally settled with the Endless Column even when he rejected some his own ideas on the monument. Brancusi wanted to sculpt a monument that would represent the honor of the Romani soldiers.
My Opinion on the Sculpture:
I think that this is one the greatest artictually, significant, modernist, wonder sculpture in the world. To construct such an enormous monument 30 meters from the earth and have it standing for many years, suffering damage only from neglectful maintenance. I believe that this is by far the greatest sculpture that Brancusi had ever designed. And to have this symbolize the honor and courageous deeds of the Romani soldiers during the First World War only emphasizes its siginifnicant to the people of Romania.
Thomas B.