Romania hopes to have the remains of its famous sculptor  Constantin Brancusi returned to his home country. Puiu Hasotti, the Romanian Minister of Culture and National Heritage, has told French RFI that hopes of returning the remains of sculptor Constantin Brancusi to Romania rest on the goodwill of the French Government.

Constantin Brancusi died as a French citizen and was upset when the communist regime in Romania refused his offer to give some of his works to the country. The authorities refused the works of the man widely recognized as Romania's greatest ever sculptor on the grounds that the country did not need any more decadent art work.  However, despite becoming a French citizen and never returning to Romania in later life, the Minister of Culture maintains that Brancusi would have wished to be buried next to his mother in Hobita, his home village in Romania.

On Tuesday, December 6, Prime Minister Victor Ponta met at Targu-Jiu with the writer Laurian Stanchescu, who has led efforts to return the sculptor's remains to Romania, and assured him of the Romanian Government's support.

“Along with a law firm from Paris, France, hired by our Government, we will need a court decision from Paris for the remains of Constantin Brancusi to be exhumed and brought to Targu-Jiu. I'll give a decision in this regard to the General Secretariat of the Government to take over the cost of legal representation, because there are significant costs," said Victor Ponta.

Constantin Brancusi, who died in 1957, is currently buried in the famous Cimetière du Montparnasse, where many other celebrated artists and writers are also buried. The cemetery has several Brancusi sculptures made for fellow artists on their deaths.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Wikipedia)