BRÂNCUŞI - TITULESCU Suflete Pereche

BRNCUI TITULESCU
Suflete pereche mes soeurs Soul mates
BRNCUI TITULESCU
Ediie trilingv dition trilingue Three languages edition
Trgu Jiu 2012
Editor Fundaia European Titulescu Lucrare aprut cu sprijinul Consiliului Judeean Gorj
ngrijitor ediie: George G. Potra Redactor carte: Victor Potra Coperta: Victor Potra
CIP
Toate drepturile sunt rezervate autorilor i deintorilor materialelor folosite n prezenta ediie.
Cuprins
Suflete pereche George G. Potra Cei doi uriai pesc agale, bra la bra Vintil Russu-irianu Inima Romniei Nicolae Titulescu Confesiuni brncuiene Constantin Brncui Mrturii Eugne Ionesco, Carola Giedion-Welcker, Raymond Cartier, Wickham Steed
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Table de matires
mes surs George G. Potra Les deux gants marchent lentement, bras dessus, bras dessous Vintil Russu-irianu Le Cur de la Roumanie Nicolae Titulescu Confessions de Brancusi Constantin Brncui
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Tmoignages 117 Eugne Ionesco, Carola Giedion-Welcker, Raymond Cartier, Wickham Steed
Content
Soul mates George G. Potra The two giants strolled slowly away, arm in arm Vintil Russu-irianu The Heart of Romania Nicolae Titulescu Brancusis Confessions Constantin Brncui
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Testimonials 173 Eugne Ionesco, Carola Giedion-Welcker, Raymond Cartier, Wickham Steed
CONSTANTIN BRNCUI
NICOLAE TITULESCU
BRNCUI TITULESCU
Suflete pereche
Romn
Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc
SUFLETE PERECHE
Nscui undeva n Oltenia, Brncui i Titulescu au nclecat dou veacuri pentru a duce n lume geniul romnesc. Au ales ci diferite. Brncui a fcut din piatr zbor. Titulescu a fcut din cuvnt idee. Au spart catapeteasma veacului pentru ca s deschid contemporanilor i urmailor un nou orizont. Fiecare s-a vrut un copil al libertii gndului i al ndrznelii gestului. Au iluminat pe firmamentul secolului XX ca doi luceferi. Pecetea lor inconfundabil se regsete n toate colurile de lume. Au trit i au suferit, au gndit i au creat, au construit i au meditat ca oameni ai timpului lor. Nu au suferit nicio clip de modestia de a fi romni. Au trit cu tricolorul n suflet. Au adus Romnia n Europa i Europa n Romnia. Au fost romni i europeni deopotriv. Peste tot unde umanitatea a fost la ea acas, Brncui i Titulescu i-au fost oaspei de onoare.
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Au lsat umanitii o motenire pe care o descoperim mereu mai bogat dect proiecia lucrului bine fptuit. i-au dat ntlnire cu eternitatea cu peste 50 de ani n urm, dar ne-au rmas permanent contemporani. Pe o hart a spiritualitii secolului XX, numele lui Brncui i al lui Titulescu le vom gsi mai frecvente chiar dect ne putem nchipui azi, cci ei proiecteaz pe cerul Speranei aspiraia spre o victorie a Adevrului i al Binelui. De dincolo de timp, aceti doi mari Creatori ne someaz c suntem responsabili pentru fiecare clip de umanitate i de pace. Cu fiecare din gndurile acestor doi nelepi din care oferim cititorului trei segmente diverse, dintre care unul transcrie un dialog ntre titani, iar celelalte dou restituie mesajul lor individual, unul pe calea discursului politic, altul sub forma meditaiei filosofice suntem convocai s descoperim Frumosul din noi, s-l aprm, s-l druim generos. Slujind omul din om, Brncui i Titulescu ne-au dat msura ndrznelii omului, a capacitii sale de a sfida curajos i nvingtor timpul. Suflete-pereche nu reprezint doar o metafor. Dincolo de logodna cuvintelor, mai presus de faptul c nu s-au ntlnit fizic dect o dat n
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via, cei doi au rmas alturi statornic la cina cea de tain a destinului romnesc. ntr-o virtual nou Capel Sixtin, Brncui i Titulescu, aceti doi mari sacerdoi ai secolului XX, vor lsa din ceruri s urce spre ei scara care duce la ntlnirea cu adevrul, omenia i frumosul. Brncui i Titulescu ne cheam alturi de zei pentru a ne mprti din miracolul zonelor celeste n care alearg mpreun formele i cuvintele lsate s se mprtie generos ca dintrun irag rupt de perle. George G. Potra
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BRNCUI TITULESCU Cei doi uriai pesc agale, bra la bra Constantin Brncui1, Nicolae Titulescu2. Ce olteni! n fermecata lor cobili au purtat aur romnesc care a btut toate valutele, peste tot globul pmntesc. Am avut norocul s asist la o ntlnire a lor, pe care a putea-o numi istoric. Titulescu venea foarte des la Paris. Simplu ministru al rii la Londra3, el era, de fapt, permanentul ministru de Externe al Romniei. Acest jurist de suprem clas, superb orator, diplomat-stea, cu drepturi certe n istoria politic a vremii, om de vast cultur, inteligen scprtoare, spirit acid i seductor, limpede i ordonat cu rigoare, cu o comprehensiune just i adnc a tuturor gamelor intelectuale, avea un mic clci al lui Achile: artele.
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Constantin Brncui (18761957). Sculptor romn. Personalitate marcant a secolului XX. Membru postmortem al Academiei Romne (1990). 2 Nicolae Titulescu (18821941). Om de stat i diplomat romn. Figur ilustr a vieii politice internaionale a primei jumti a secolului XX. Membru al Academiei Romne (1935). 3 Trimis extraordinar i ministru plenipoteniar al Romniei n Marea Britanie (16 decembrie 1921 6 iulie 1927; 31 iulie 192820 octombrie 1932). 17
Aa s-a fcut c misterul Brncui a fost, pn la un moment, o problem dificil, chiar scitoare pentru el. Am fost, mai nti, martor la enunarea problemei de ctre el nsui. n 1926 eram secretarul lui Octavian Goga4. Prin mai, sosete n ar Titulescu. Sunt foarte buni amici. Se complac mult n contact direct. Dejun, n doi, la Capa, ntr-un salon separat. Vreo trei ore, au developat, au depnat, au esut politic intern i extern. Precum era ritualul stabilit, pe la patru, vin s-l iau pe Goga la Parlament5. Cei doi mari i rcoresc gtlejurile cu suc de grep i de portocale. Finalul convorbirii este mai uor, mai simpatic. Adstm la un filtru. La un moment, Titulescu vorbete, cu plcere, despre succesele europene ale lui Enescu6, Gogu Georgescu7, Traian Grozvescu8. Le descrie cu mndrie rsunetul.
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Octavian Goga (1881-1938). Poet i om politic romn, prim-ministru ntre 1937-1938. 5 Din 1919. 6 George Enescu (1881-1955). Compozitor romn, violonist, pianist i dirijor. 7 George Georgescu (18871964). Dirijor romn. Director al Operei Romne i al Filarmonicii din Bucureti (din 1920). Membru corespondent al Academiei Romne (1963).. 8 Traian Grozvescu (18951927). Tenor romn. 18
Goga, clipind: Bun, bun! Dar pe Brncui l uii? Deloc. Acela m macin, m scie ru, Goga! Ce spui? V-ai certat? Da de unde! Dar mi-a pus o problem dificil. Mi-a creat un complex Perfect. Asta nseamn c te-a impresionat puternic. N-ai greit. Va fi cel mai mare sculptor al vremii. E imens! i-e uor s vorbeti cu darul tu excepional n aprecierea operelor plastice Eu l am foarte puin. Dar nu pot suferi nimic obscur n mine. Ei, pe Brncui n-am reuit s-l descifrez. Cinstit o spun. Simt c este ceva neobinuit de mare n sculptura lui, dar nu am ajuns s-i neleg limbajul. Pricepi ct de stupid poate fi un lucru cam ca acesta: citeti cu admiraie o carte celebr i i-e imposibil s-i povesteti subiectul! Aa sunt eu cu Brncui. i n faa unei lumi occidentale care l ridic n slav, eu, dublul lui compatriot, fac pe papagalul! Este inadmisibil. Va trebui s rezolv problema asta: s nv vocabularul creaiei lui, s tiu ce vrea, s neleg drumul pe care a mers, s pot vorbi despre el cu propriile mele cuvinte! i, srguincios, metodic cum era, Titulescu a rezolvat Problema Brncui. Am fost prezent la prima lecie. n primvara lui 1928, Titulescu trecuse Canalul Mnecii i domicilia, ca de obicei, la Paris, la
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Htel Chatham. Aveam un prieten, ataat la Legaie, biat bun (de o rar frumusee), Sandu Stnescu 9. Oltean, get-beget i el. Sun ntr-o diminea la mine. Hai, Rusule, n ambasad! eful (aa i spuneau lui Titulescu cei din jur) ne trimitea la Brncui, s-l convingem, neaprat, s fie invitatul lui Titulescu la dejun, a doua zi. (Stnescu, n calitate de oltean, chiar din judeul lui Brncui, avea oarecare trecere la el.) Clopoim n Impasse Ronsin. Avem noroc. Brncui ne surde. Ne cntrete puin capetele, din ochi (cum ai cerca pepeni), apoi zice: Vin. * Dou sau trei ore fascinant de interesante au fost pentru mine. Suntem patru, la o mas larg, rotund, n largi fotolii de bambus, n largul spaiu al celebrului pavilion Henri IV, pe teras, la Saint-Germain. Ziua e splendid: o rochie de bal spumoas, pe trupul primverii.
Alexandru Stnescu (18901952). Jurist i diplomat romn. 20
Sub noi, imensa erpuire verde cu scnteieri de argint a Senei. n deprtare, ca pe zarea halucinant a unei Fete-Morgane, n pulbere de aur fin, se creioneaz minunata siluet a Parisului Un prnz ales (rnduit chiar de Titulescu). Marele romn european, cu verva lui scnteietoare, ne-a legnat ntr-o conversaie plcut, variat, despre tot, despre toate. L-au amuzat pe Brncui mai ales incidentele i faptele din protipendada politic a lumii, pe care le povestea Titulescu. La coniac i cafea, o mic tcere. Brusc, zmbetul lui Titulescu a stat, glasul sun msurat, serios. Metere Manole, i spune lui Brncui, am s-i fac o mare rugare. Brncui, cu ochiul lui de drac: S-auzim! Doresc s-mi dai o lecie. De diplomaie? Nu. De Brncui! Hei, las ghicitorile diplomatice, ministrule! Vino la chestie. Atunci, elevul Titulescu (cci tia s fie, oricnd, un elev cuminte, atent, s nvee de la oricine), i explic lui Brncui simplu, clar, perplexitatea lui n faa misterului Brncui. Dorina, nevoia lui imperativ de a-l pricepe, de a-i putea comenta creaia, cu propriile sale puteri. tii, ncheie Titulescu, cnd eti obligat
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s frecventezi atta lume ca mine, este penibil s faci pe papagalul Parc-i amuzat Brncui. Zmbete iret. neleg, nu tii cum s vorbeti despre mine. Dar Titulescu nu surde. i rspunde cu aceeai simplitate i seriozitate. Exact. i vreau s tiu. Vreau s nv s tiu. i te rog s m ajui. Suntem doar romni i olteni amndoi, nu? Iat c i furitorul psrii miestre deschide poarta spre seriozitate. Se ndreapt, nal capul, cat atent la Titulescu i conchide, cu o vibrare pe care vrea s-o ascund dup glasul alb: Da olteni i rumni suntem. Amndoi Dou clipite, tace. Apoi, se apleac spre Titulescu: Ei, i ce vrei s tii? Tot. Tot?! Cam lung poft ai S zicem, un tot limitat, concede Titulescu. Uite, Brncui, eu nu concep c poate exista un adevr autentic care s nu poat fi expus clar i neles limpede de orice minte normal. Nu? Firete. Ei bine, exist un adevr Brncui. Eu nu spun mister. Adevr! Acest adevr vreau s-l cunosc. Eu nu sunt un mare cunosctor n artele
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plastice. Cred totui c sunt n stare s pricep acest adevr Brncui, dac mi se arat clar. Cte formulri, supoziii, afirmri n-am citit i n-am auzit! Nu m-au lmurit. Ce eti: avangardist, dadaist, cubist, sur-realist, baroc abstracionist? Ce este arta dumitale nou? Cum ai ajuns la acest fel de a sculpta? Ce vrei s comunici lumii? Astea vreau s le tiu. De la dumneata, metere Manole. De la dumneata. Doresc s te admir nu bjbind, ci cu ochii deschii. (Att de mult se nclziser cuvintele n frazarea acelui mare orator care a fost Titulescu, nct am vzut ca niciodat un Brncui prins, cucerit). Cteva clipe a tcut, cntrind parc un gnd, cu privirea la Titulescu. O privire, alta dect cea de toate zilele. Era emoie. Pe care i-a ascuns-o brusc, ntr-un tot bonom i un zmbet de unchia: Am auzit c dintr-a-ntia primar, pn n vrful doctoratelor, ai luat numai nota zece Titulescu: un gest. api, n-am s te las corigent la materia Brncui Vezi, n general, cnd e vorba n art de ceva nou, lumea vrea s fie ceva senzaional, i caut mereu sofisticri, termeni afectai. Eu nu sunt nici sur-realist, nici cubist, nici baroc, nici altceva de soiul sta. Eu, cu noul meu, vin din ceva foarte vechi
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Pe acest ton bonom, calm a nceput acel lung monolog al lui Brncui. Apoi, treptat, a urmat o adevrat desfurare. Uimit am fost cteva clipe. Niciodat nici eu, nici atia alii cu care am discutat despre el nu l-am auzit pe furitorul coloanei infinite vorbind despre el mai mult de cteva cuvinte, aruncate i acelea, ici, colo, la diferite prilejuri. Cum de are Titulescu atta trecere la el, determinndu-l si ias din felul lui de-a fi, s mrturiseasc, n larg cuprins, o adevrat profesie de credin? mi ddeam seama c nu era numai faptul c europeanul romn era i el oltean. i tiam c nu era nici voina de a face plcere unei personaliti cu nalte funcii. Brncui era cu totul n afar de asemenea plecciuni. Dimpotriv Peste multe luni ntr-o zi de bun dispoziie, n hoinreal prin mahalalele cu baluri populare am ndrznit s-l ntreb pe Brncui crui fapt s-a datorat druirea acelor confidene lui Titulescu. in minte: s-a oprit din mers, m-a msurat lung i a spus apsat, serios: Se cuvenea mai mult ca oricui, s-i fac o plcere, chiar un serviciu Eu citesc ziare din an n pate, dar muli mi-au spus, engleji, americani, franceji, c Titulescu, talent de mna ntia, este azi cel mai mare aprtor al Pcii. A fcut i face mult pentru pace! Pricepi, Prsleo?
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(Am neles, mi-am reamintit ura cumplit a lui Brncui mpotriva rzboiului. Nu era numai conceptual, cu rezonane morale, sociale. Era i ceva temperamental. Turba i tuna, chiar i numai cnd i se amintea de rzboi). * Da. A urmat acel ceas de confidene brncuiene. Unic. Cel puin pentru mine. Unic. Nuclear ncrcat de interes i emoie artistic. n jurnalul meu de bord, n care, la Paris, mi consemnam momentele, ntrevederile importante, am notat atunci, rezumativ, spusele lui Brncui. Evocndu-le n frazele lui, simple i gemnd de coninut, firete, nu pot afirma c leam reinut sut la sut. Dar pot susine c nu risc s denaturez sensurile. Vorbesc n frazarea lui, cutnd-o ct mai aproape de adevr, pentru c n cuvinte reproductive, de-ale mele, a risca, sigur, s dau ceva exact (poate), dar rece, didacticizat. * Eu, a urmat Brncui, am fost nti de toate ran. ran am rmas i azi (era superb spunnd asta, cu ochi diamantin i barb n rscoal). ranul? Rumnul? l tii. Unul
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cnt din frunz, altul din fluier. Unul coace argil, zugrvete oale Eu am cioplit. De copil, m-a chemat lemnul i cuitul. Apoi, piatra i dalta. Arama i ciocanul. Aveau pesemne, smi spun ceva. Le-am ascultat. i-am ajuns, aa, s am i eu de spus ceva, prin glasul lor. Le-am nvat limba. Muli ani, pn am cuprins bine meseria. Am ajuns sculptor. Am mers i eu, o bun bucat de vreme, pe ci btute. Am fcut sculptur (accent de uoar ironie). A fi nedrept s-mi reneg perioada aceea. Am sculptat cu rvn i aprindere. Unele buci, capete de copil, Muza, Ruga, cteva portrete, mi plceau. Poate c erau, printre ele, i buci care nu erau mai proaste dect ale unor confrai consacrai (Punctul pe acea prim perioad l pune sorbind, ncet, din paharul de vechi Pommard). Pn cnd, ntr-o bun zi, nu mi-a mai plcut ce fceam Deloc. Parc cere o reconfirmare ntrebarea, lent, a lui Titulescu: Nu i-a plcut ce fceai?! Nu mi-a mai plcut. Era important. Cci plcerea cu care lucreaz artistul e inima artei lui. Fr inim, nu-i art. Cea dinti condiie e s-i plac ie, s ndrgeti, s iubeti fierbinte ceea ce faci. S fie bucuria ta. Prin bucuria ta, s dai bucurie oamenilor. Cnd m-am lmurit bine c nu-mi mai place ce fac, a venit, vezi
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bine, ntrebarea: de ce nu-mi mai place? Patru cuvinte. Ani de zile mi-au trebuit pn s ajung s-mi rspund i s pesc pe calea mea adevrat. Priveam ndelung sculpturi d-ale altora din cei cu talente sigure i pe ale mele. Ce m supra? Frumos cioplit, frumos dltuit, frumos lustruit, miglos i bine redate detaliile, nimic de zis. Dar, dar nu-i viu. Parc sunt fantome. ncremeniri! Eu vreau s dau via, micare, avnt, bucurie. M supra tot mai mult impresia de cript, de funerar, pe care mi-o ddeau sculpturile acelea. ncet, ncet, drumul mi s-a croit singur (Cu o micare uoar, aproape neobservat, Titulescu a tras spre el cartonul pe care sta scris mas rezervat, a scos din vest un creiona de aur. Ca un student contiincios, marele european ia note Momentul are ceva aproape solemn.) i repet, n surdin, ca o ntrebare, cuvintele lui Brncui: S-a croit singur? Nu eti prea modest? O clip, meterul aproape s-a rstit: Nu. Eu nu sunt modest. Nu-mi place frnicia Da, calea s-a deschis singur, din judecat n judecat, din ncercare n ncercare. Eu, de pe cnd eram abia un biean i hoinream pe mal de ap ori prin pdure, am avut o credin c orice lucru, fiin sau nefiin, are un suflet. Aa cred i acum. iatunci, la rspntia meseriei mele, am zis: el,
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acest suflet al subiectului trebuie s-l redau. Cci sufletul va fi mereu viu. Sau, dac vrei, ideea subiectului. Aceea nu moare niciodat n cel ce privete opera de art. Din contr, crete n el, ca viaa din via. (A tcut aici cteva clipe, nu mi-am dat seama de ce, a privit parc peste noi. Apoi a vorbit iari, cu linite, limpede.) De la gndul acela, ajungi n chip firesc la concluzia c nu amnuntul creeaz opera, ci ceea ce este esenial. Am lucrat mult s gsesc modul care s-mi uureze calea ca s aflu, pentru fiecare subiect, forma-cheie, care s rezume cu putere ideea acelui subiect. Desigur c asta m-a dus spre arta nefigurativ. E un rezultat. Eu niciodat nu mi-am propus: hai s fac eu o art nou, s uimesc lumea cu o trsnaie. Eu, la cpti cu dorina mea, cu plcerea mea, am judecat simplu, aa cum vezi, i am ajuns la ceva tot simplu, grozav de simplu. La o sintez care s sugereze ceea ce vreau s redau. i am tot cutat, ani muli, s ajung s scot din lemn, din bronz, din marmor, acel diamant ascuns esenialul aa cum l scot minerii din adncul pmntului. (S-a stins ultimul cuvnt. Brncui soarbe iari lent din paharul pe care l-am umplut.) Titulescu este, vizibil, foarte aderent la spusele meterului. Se leagn uor din ale, vorbete: Da. E limpede i simplu
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(Zmbete.) ca silogistic. Dar, spune-mi, dac nu te plictisesc abuziv, cum se traduce practic concluzia artistic att de clar? Zmbete i Brncui: Tot simplu. Cum s-i spun? Ai ceva talent la desen? Deloc. Zero! Atunci, uite, tot cu logica (rde), la asta mi se pare c ai ceva talent Ai vzut vreuna din psrile mele? Vzut? Cred c vreo or am contemplat dou din ele Ei, la mult lume au plcut. Mai mult: au fost nelese inteniile mele. Direct, intuitiv. Ceam fcut, practic? Am aruncat deoparte aripile i ciocul, ghearele i creasta, ochii i picioarele Titulescu surde: De n-a mai rmas nimic din pasre! Nimic din banal. Dar toat esena psrii, ideea, sufletul ei: cteva linii, n anumit unghi, i curbe, care redau vertiginoasa avntare n vzduh. Ideea de pasre: zborul! l priveam pe Titulescu n acel moment. Era, tot, numai atenie. neleg, metere Manole, spune. De la Aristotel i Boetius10 pn la Lalande11, nimeni
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Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480524 .H.). Om de stat i filosof roman. 29
n-ar putea nega perfecia silogisticii dumitale. Dar de ce acea extrem, acea nuclear condensare n sculpturile dumitale, condensare n care cuprinzi totul? Pupila lui Brncui sgeteaz spre Titulescu: Aha! Va s zic fceai un joc de modestie? Vd c nu erai prea departe de adevr! De ce ? Pentru c eu am cutat, i caut, i voi cuta mereu, forma-cheie care s fie adevrul esenialului. Cocoul meu nu e coco. Pasrea mea nu este pasre. Sunt simboluri. Caut, iubesc naturalul, frumosul primar, direct, nemijlocit. Etern! Vreau s nal totul dincolo de pmnt. Vreau ca pasrea mea s umple tot vzduhul, s exprime marea eliberare Titulescu s-a rsucit ntre braele de bambus ale scaunului, s-a tras mai aproape de Brncui, care a tcut. Deci, tinzi spre un fel de spiritualizare a materiei i Brncui a fcut o micare de apropiere. Rspunde apsat: Nu un fel. De-a dreptul! Da, vreau s descopr spiritul materiei, s aflu sufletul lucrurilor. Vreau ca materia s triasc potrivit
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Joseph-Jrme Lefranois de Lalande (17321807). Astronom francez. Roger Lalande (1893 1975). Regizor i scenograf de oper francez. 30
legilor ei. tie ea mai bine ca noi, care e adevrul Titulescu, glas cobort, ca pentru sine: E parc un mesaj transmis prin necuvnttor. O tindere spre universal. Brusc, Brncui se destinde, rde uor, l bate pe umr: Ei! Eti un elev pozna, domnule ministru! Ai citit lecia nainte vrei s ne uimeti! Dar Titulescu nu zmbete. i rspunde cu un fel de gravitate: Nu, metere. Sunt desvrit de sincer. Nu glumeam. M bucuram Brncui, cu un ton tot att de brusc schimbat: Dapi, crezi c eu glumesc? Nu. i eu m bucur Da. Asta am cutat: drum spre universal. De aceea, necuvnttoarele mele nu se afl n nicio carte de zoologie. i tot astfel, fiinele cioplite de mine, chiar dac unele au nume, eu nu le pot atribui nicio stare civil Am cutat tot esena, caracterul profund. Ideea personalitii lor care s fie simbol de puritate, de graie, de mister, de frmntare, de avnt. i am credina c, dac am putut smulge materiei adevrul ei, spiritul, i s-l cuprind n acea ideecheie, exprimat n lemn, n marmor ori bronz am aflat i calea spre cugetul i sensibilitatea aceluia care contempl sculpturile mele. i el va aduga, din propriul lui spirit, frmntat, trezit
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spre frumos, o mulime de impresii, de sugerri creatoare. i va colabora, se va nfri cu mine n acele clipe. mi va mbogi creaia S-a oprit. Nu ne-a mai privit. Tcerea s-a lsat clipe lungi. Apoi, Titulescu s-a ridicat, a venit n faa lui Brncui, care s-a sculat i el n picioare. Era un Titulescu puin obinuit. Parc mai mic! Da. Minunat, metere Manole! S-au mbriat deodat, n sincron. Cald. mi spui Manole. Dar acela i-a ngropat n piatr iubita. A lucrat cu durerea cea cumplit. Eu lucrez cu bucurie, ministrule! Titulescu l-a luat de bra: Dm o rait prin pdure? Dm. Intrm sub tunelul mre al frunzelor cu miros amar. Reavna respiraie a primverii ne d o adiere de ameeal. Cei doi uriai pesc agale, bra la bra. Copacii seculari din timpul ludovicilor i salut adnc. Vintil Russu-irianu, Brncui Titulescu, n Gazeta Literar, an XIV, nr. 41, 12 octombrie 1967.
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INIMA ROMNIEI12
Iubii ceteni, Se apropie anul de cnd, brusc, fr pregtire, tragic, Romnia a fost pus n faa clipei, care trebuia s decid de toate strduinele trecutului ei ntunecat i vitreg i de toate fgduielile viitorului ei luminos i falnic: clip suprem, pe care am ntrezrit-o cu toii n visurile noastre de mrire, clip pe care nu ndrznea s spere a o vedea sosind generaiunea chemat s-o triasc! Ce s-a ntmplat atunci, cum a fost mpiedicat fptuirea pcatului monstruos i inept de a ne vrsa sngele pentru aprarea granielor vrjmailor notri, a acelor granie, care de veacuri ne sufoc, a acelor granie, care sunt ca nite tieturi adnci i dureroase n corpul viu al naiunii, a acelor granie, care dac nu vom reui s le spulberm13, ne vor nctua ca zidurile unei temnie, la umbra crora viaa se ofilete i se stinge, ce s-a ntmplat atunci o tim cu toii!
12
Discurs rostit de Nicolae Titulescu, n limba romn, la mitingul naional de la Ploieti din 3 mai 1915. 13 La 17 februarie 1867 s-a ncheiat Acordul austro-ungar privind crearea statului dualist Austro-Ungaria, n cadrul cruia Transilvania a rmas ncorporat Ungariei, anulndui-se autonomia. 33
Cum am fost ferii atunci s nu ajungem nenorocii i mici, nedreptii i nedemni, asuprii i totui dispreuii, aceasta va fi o venic glorie pentru acei care au avut menirea s o ndeplineasc! Instinctul neamului, prin aleii lui, a vorbit la timp!14 Instinctul nu se poate ns opri aici, instinctul nu poate s adoarm, atunci cnd a trezit sufletul! i sufletul romnesc, rscolit de amintirile istorice, rscolit de destinul lui mre, pe care de-a pururea l-a ntrevzut n zare rscolit de puterea momentului prin care trece, sufletul romnesc, mai treaz i mai sus azi ca oricnd, ordon ca aciunea s nu ntrzie! Problemul care se pune azi Romniei e nfricotor, dar simplu: sau Romnia pricepe datoria pe care i-au creat-o evenimentele n curs, i atunci istoria ei abia ncepe, iar viitorul ei va fi o rzbunare prelungit i mrea a umilinelor ei seculare; sau Romnia, mioap la tot ce e mine, cu ochii mari deschii la tot ce e azi nu pricepe i nlemnit st pe loc, i atunci istoria ei va nfia pentru vecie
14
Consiliul de Coroan, ntrunit la Sinaia, la 3 august 1914, la care au participat, pe lng membrii guvernului, i o serie de oameni politici din opoziie, a respins cererea regelui Carol I (sprijinit de P.P. Carp) de a intra n rzboi alturi de Puterile Centrale i a hotrt adoptarea unei politici de neutralitate armat. 34
exemplul, unic i mizerabil, al unei sinucideri vieuite! Din mprejurrile de azi, Romnia trebuie s ias ntreag i mare! Romnia nu poate fi ntreag fr Ardeal; Romnia nu poate fi mare fr jertf! Ardealul e leagnul care i-a ocrotit copilria, e coala care i-a furit neamul, e farmecul care i-a susinut viaa. Ardealul e scnteia care aprinde energia, e mutilarea care striga rzbunare, e frnicia care cheam pedeapsa, e sugrumarea care cere libertatea! Ardealul e romnismul n restrite, e ntrirea care deprteaz vrjmaul, e viaa care cheam viaa! Ne trebuie Ardealul! Nu putem fr el! Vom ti s-l lum i, mai ales, s-l meritm! Pentru Ardeal nu-i via care s nu se sting cu plcere; pentru Ardeal nu-i sforare care s nu se ofere de la sine; pentru Ardeal totul se schimb, totul se nfrumuseeaz, pn i moartea se schimb: nceteaz de a fi hidoas, devine atrgtoare! Ardealul nu e numai inima Romniei politice; privii harta: Ardealul e inima Romniei geografice! Din culmile lui, izvorsc apele cari au scldat romnismul n istorie: la miaz-noapte, Someul; la apus, Mureul; la miaz-zi, Oltul! De-a lungul Carpailor, Romnia de azi se ntinde ca o simpl zon militar a unei
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fortree naturale, ncput n mini strine! Acel care nu se simte tiat la bru cnd privete Ardealul, acela nu-i romn, acela-i smn strin pripit n Romnia, pe vremea cnd o bteau vnturile din toate prile! Ne trebuie Ardealul, dar ne trebuie cu jertf! Nu se lipete carne de carne, fr s curg snge! Nu se ia Ardealul cu neutralitatea! Neutralitatea i-a avut rostul, dar i-a trit traiul. i-a avut rostul, pentru c neutralitatea noastr n-a fost nici calcul, n-a fost nici team! Neutralitatea noastr a fost la nceput zidul definitiv ridicat contra acelora care voiau s ne mping la o nelegiuire de neam i de care s -a sfrmat viziunea lor heraldic: vulturul romn purtnd n cioc Coroana Sfntului tefan; ea s-a transformat apoi n adpostul din dosul cruia ne puteam pregti i puteam atepta ziua cea mare; neutralitatea a devenit azi pnza de pianjen, pe care cel mai inocent zefir o poate rupe n buci! Romnia nu-i poate prelungi neutralitatea peste limitele trebuinelor sale i mai ales peste limitele demnitii sale. Un stat nu poate s rmn neutru dect atunci cnd n-are de cerut; un stat nu poate rmne neutru atunci cnd are revendicri de impus, atunci, mai ales, cnd le-a i formulat! Aceasta ar nsemna sau c nu e n stare s cucereasc ceea ce pretinde c e al su, ceea ce e umilitor pn la durere, sau c a renunat de
36
bunvoie la idealul lui, ceea ce e absurd pn la nebunie! Nu se poate ca ceea ce a conceput mintea romneasc, ca ceea ce a simit inima romneasc, s nu poat nfptui energia romneasc. Dar nimic nu slbete mai mult energia ca ateptarea, nimic n-o uzeaz mai sigur ca nentrebuinarea, nimic, n schimb, n-o aprinde pn la paroxism ca contiina ei c-i tare i considerat! Or, de aceast consideraiune romnismul are azi nevoie mai mult ca oricnd. Ce zic? Mai presus de orice! Azi, cnd cele mai civilizate state au acceptat acest mcel ngrozitor, aceasta pustiire fr exemplu, nu pentru a desfiina o naiune, ci pentru a distruge o concepiune, nu pentru a ntrona o dominaiune, dar pentru a inaugura o politic, apare clar c nimeni nu se va bucura de roadele noii stri de lucruri, dac nu s-a artat demn din vreme, nu numai cu vitejia, dar mai ales cu sufletul! Fr jertf sngeroas i bogat, fr frie de arme i de durere, nicio piatr de grani nu se va muta din locul ei! Fr ncrederea acelora care ne-au precedat n lupt, fr convingerea lor c avem o profund idee de drept i de datorie, fr iubirea sincer a libertii, nu numai a noastr, dar a tuturor, fr o nlare sufleteasc susinut,
37
jertfa noastr orict de mare ar fi nu poate s-i dea roadele, pentru c i lipsete tocmai aceea ce-i d fiin: valoarea ei moral! De aceea, eu cred c acei ce ne conduc nu vor uita o clip c ei reprezint azi mai mult dect dibcia romneasc, c ei ntrupeaz azi nalta concepiune moral a romnismului, ca for civilizatoare! i poate c aceasta s-ar impune mai lesne printr-o atitudine, dect printr-un argument, mai lesne printr-un act de eroism, dect printr-o negociere prelungit. Sau romnismul se va dovedi a fi o for civilizatoare de prim ordin, i atunci va triumfa, sau romnismul se va dovedi a fi fost numai marca unui egoism la i hrpre, i atunci el va pieri, cum va pieri, pe urma acestui rzboi, tot ce n-are reazem n drept i jertf! Dar ce zic? Romnismul s piar? Nu e oare n fiecare din noi dorina de jertf? Nu e n fiecare din noi revolt pentru nedreptate, dezgust pentru asuprire? Nu dorm n sngele nostru strmoii care ateapt ceasul de a fi deteptai n mrire? Nu, nu va pieri romnismul pe urma acestui rzboi; vor pieri numai aceia care nu s-au artat vrednici de dnsul! Nicolae Titulescu, Inima Romniei, n Pledoarii pentru pace, Editura Enciclopedic, Bucureti, 1996.
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CONFESIUNI BRNCUIENE
Fire-ai dor blestemat / n ce locuri m-ai mnat! / De ce acas nu m-ai lsat? / S fiu i eu om din sat, / S am mas la cinat / i pat moale de culcat.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.13c) De-a sorii urgie de voi m despart / de-acum m duc n lume norocul s-mi caut / i de-o fi vreodat cumva s gsesc / m-oi ntoarce iar s v povestesc.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.61a) Dac lumea este asta / i-al ei mers eu nu-l pricep, / la ce m duce dorul / i s urc mereu ncep?* (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.13b) Deteapt-te om, pe drumul bun pornete / nvinge trndvia i lenea ce te-oprete. / Tu ca vulturul te-avnt spre culmile senine/ Darul lumei cnt. Uit-te pe tine.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, VII.7a) Brad la nunt / Brad la moarte / Dndu-i seama / Toate-s una / Una-s toate.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.35a)
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Ce-i pas plugului dac arunc brazde peste foi uscate, cnd pe urma lui rsare gru care are s hrneasc oameni?* (Aa grit-a Brncui, IX.d) mi place cercul c se-nvrtete / i-mi place ptratul c nu se clintete. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.5a)
*** Nou ni se pare greu drumul fiindc nu tim s mergem noi, ori ne porobotim ca protii, s-l isprvim deodat, ori stm n marginea lui i ne plngem ca nite copii ndrtnici, cutnd tot felul de motive ca s ne ascundem slbiciunea i nesigurana n noi. Sunt rari cei ce tiu s-i msoare pasul. -acei luceferi nemuritori i reci merg ncet, drumul mare n urma lor las.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, VII.4e) Doamne ce pe pmnt te-ai cobort i lumea ai luminat, ndreapt lumina ta spre mine i f-m pe mine s urmez calea cea adevrat.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, X.2e) Pe Dumnezeu nu l ajungem niciodat. Dar ceea ce e important este curajul de a porni la drum. (Aa grit-a Brncui, X.2u)
40
Lucrul cel mai formidabil este s mergi bine, fiind contient de tine nsui i de drum. (Aa grit-a Brncui, VI.h) Drumul pe care l-am ales a fost lung i greu. (Aa grit-a Brncui, VII.1e) Trebuie s urci foarte sus, ca s vezi foarte departe. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.70a) S vezi departe este una, s ajungi acolo este altceva. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.73a) Cnd porneti pe drumul spre frumos, se ntmpl ca i cu acel castel din basme: cu ct l vezi mai aproape, cu att e mai departe. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.13j) Viaa e ca o spiral. Nu tim n ce direcie se afl inta. Trebuie s naintm n direcia pe care o socotim cea bun. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.74h) Viaa mea a fost trist ca tristeea nsi i aspr ca asprimea nsi. Ceva, tot timpul mai puternic dect mine, m-a mpins nainte spre un lucru fr nume, care m-a fcut s lupt cu toate mizeriile vrjmae. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.74a, VI.g)
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La captul drumului ca i dincolo de el, totul se confund cu divinitatea. (Aa grit-a Brncui, X.2n)
*** Dup legea oamenilor am abia o jumtate de secol i totui am trit mii de ani. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.72a) Timpul perfecioneaz spiritul omenesc i spiritul cere el nsui aceasta.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.66a) Curgerea vremii se desfoar ca o spiral n jurul unui nucleu etern; ascensiunea piramidal ctre vrf este exclus. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.66b) Tatl nostru este Soarele i Mama noastr este Pmntul. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.60a) Patria mea, familia mea, este Pmntul care se nvrte adierea vntului, norii care trec, apa care curge, focul care nclzete. Ierburi verzi ierburi uscate noroi, zpad. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.44a)
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*** F zvon n ar c steagul Oltului a nceput s se urzeasc la buricul pmntului. Sunt primit la Salon cu trei opere.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, VII.1c) Nu voi merge la rzboi ntruct consiliul de revizie nu m-a gsit apt, dar sunt foarte mulumit c ara mea a intrat [n rzboi]. (Aa grit-a Brncui, VII.1d) Am fost trimis i eu de mic copil la procopseal n lume. N-am pierdut legtura i nu mi-am scos rdcinile pentru a umbla nuc pe tot globul. A profitat i arta mea i m-am salvat ca om.* (Aa grit-a Brncui,VII.1g) Puteam avea bani, dac m ndeletniceam cu altceva. Dar am vrut s fac sculptur i tot pentru c am vrut eu, am ajuns la Paris. Mon jeu est moi.* (Aa grit-a Brncui,VII.1h) Ceea ce fac, mi-a fost dat s fac. Am venit pe lume cu o menire.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, VII.3g)
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*** Nu-mi place s vorbesc despre mine sau despre arta mea. Operele mele vorbesc singure i nu au nevoie de nici o explicaie. * (Aa grit-a Brncui, VII.3j) Nu cutai formule obscure sau mistere. Eu v dau bucurie curat. Privii-le [sculpturile] pn le vei vedea. Cei mai aproape de Dumnezeu le-au vzut. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.9a, X.2a) Cnd eti n sfera frumosului, n-ai nevoie de explicaii. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.13.d) Arta este o oglind n care fiecare vede ceea ce gndete. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.2d) Lucrurile de art sunt oglinzi n care fiecare vede ceea ce i seamn. (Aa grit-a Brncui, VI.a)
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*** Frumosul se nate ca o plant i se dezvolt conform destinului su. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.13f) Frumosul nu este grandiosul frumosul este echitatea absolut. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.13b) Frumosul este armonia diferitelor lucruri opuse. Cu ct este mai greu s reconciliezi lucrurile, cu att este mai mare frumosul. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.13c)
*** Spiritualitatea formei, echilibrul precis, matematic, trebuie s le preuim tot att ct i materialele.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.12i Nu poi s faci ceea ce vrei s faci, ci numai ce i permite materialul. Nu poi face din marmur ceea ce ai face din lemn, sau din lemn ceea ce ai face din piatr. (Aa grit-a Brncui, II.5b) Trebuie s te faci prieten cu materia, s o faci s vorbeasc n sensul binelui i al frumosului.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, II.4c)
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Gndete-te c stejarul din faa ta este un bunic nelept i sftos. Vorba daltei tale trebuie s fie respectuoas i iubitoare. Numai astfel l poi mulumi.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, II.7a)
*** Ca un obiect uor, pus pe fundul adncului ocean ca un orb, fr s tiu de ce, a trebuit s merg i s m lupt cu toi curenii i cu toate obstacolele ca s ies la suprafa. Fericii cei ce vin pe lume la locul lor, i joac rolul linitii i apoi se duc. (Aa grit-a Brncui, IX.a) Sunt epava pe care apele o mn ctre rm ca aceia care nu mai pot s noate s vin ctre mine i duc fr plat. Cei care vor s piar, n-au dect s piar n ml. Lumina nu le este dat celor care nu pot s-o vad. (Aa grit-a Brncui, IX.b) 5 martie 1920. Astzi tai odgonul remorcii i pe oceanul imens m las n voia valurilor s plutesc spre Necunoscut, s-mi fie cluz credina-mi i dac nu vin spre tine, Doamne, nu e dect o nebunie! (Aa grit-a Brncui, X.2b)
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O mic schimbare ar fi de ajuns ca s prind rdcini i s nceap s creasc din mine forme noi, n loc s le cioplesc n marmur. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.12f) Foarte aproape de lucrurile mari, nu pot crete dect lucruri mici. (Aa grit-a Brncui, IX.c ) Nimic nu poate crete la umbra marilor copaci. (Aa grit-a Brncui, IX.l)
*** Forma i proporiile ei echilibrate reprezint marele DA, prin ele ajungem s ne cunoatem noi nine. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.12c) Cred c o form adevrat ar trebui s sugereze infinirea. Suprafeele ar trebui s arate ca i cum ar nainta venic, ca i cum ar pleca din mas ntr-o existen perfect, complet. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.12d) Cu aceast form a putea mica universul. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.12e)
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Niciodat nu caut s fac ceea ce se numete o form pur sau abstract. [...] Plintatea i volumul sunt necesare pentru a da ocul realitii. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.12h)
*** Mi-ar plcea s-mi fac Coloana n Central Park. Ar fi mai mare dect orice alt construcie, de trei ori mai mare dect obeliscul vostru din Washington, cu o baz de lime corespunztoare aizeci de metri sau peste. Ar fi fcut din metal. n fiecare piramid ar exista apartamente i oamenii ar locui acolo, iar sus de tot mi-a pune pasrea o pasre imens n echilibru pe vrful coloanei mele infinite. (Aa grit-a Brncui, III.1a) nc de acum opt ani e vorba ca s lucrez un monument al eroilor pentru satul meu natal din Gorj. Exist dou comitete care nici pn acum n-au czut de acord.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, III.3b) Dac mi se d libertate deplin i timp de ajuns, ar fi pentru mine ca o datorie de mulumire pentru spiritul lui Caragiale (i aduci aminte cum ateptam cu nerbdare ca s-apar un articol de el?!). n ceea ce privete suma pentru
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executare, nu pot s-mi dau sama fr s fac un proiect, pentru care mi trebuie un plan sumar de lrgimea locului unde se ridic monumentul i ce este cldit mprejur.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, III.3c) V trimet schia de proiect pentru poart. Proiectul este fcut cu intenia de a fi pus la o mic distan n interiorul grdinii cu un trcol proporionat mprejur i cu o banc de piatr la dreapta i la stnga, n prile laterale. Dac ar fi pus la marginea trotoarului, cum hotrsem, ar avea mai puin rost fiindc n-ar putea servi nici de utilitate pentru nchiderea grdinii i nici n-ar putea fi vzut ca objet aparte.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, IV.15a) Mai vrednic de neuitarea cuvenit lui Haret ar fi fost o form pur care s ncnte ochiul privitorului, monument care odat cu bucuria contemplrii lui s fie i o pomenire a aceluia n cinstea cruia i este ridicat. La noi la ar, oamenii ridic n amintirea lui Ion cte o fntn i Ion este astfel mai vrednic pomenit de-a lungul anilor dect dac i s-ar arta chipul n piatr.* (Aa grit-a Brncui,III.3e)
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*** Cnd creezi trebuie s te confunzi cu universul, cu elementele.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.1b) Sufletul sculptorului trebuie s se armonizeze cu sufletul materiei. (Aa grit-a Brncui, II.4b) Suferinele mele sunt cele care-mi modeleaz sufletul i inima. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.15c) E nevoie ca viaa individual s fie resorbit n gndirea universal, pentru ca frumuseea unei opere s devin evident pentru toat lumea. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.14d)
*** Simplicitatea nu e o int n art, dar ne apropiem de simplicitate cu ct ne apropiem de sensul real al lucrurilor.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, II.3b)
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Exist dou feluri de simplitate; una este sor cu ignorana, iar cealalt cu inteligena. Sora inteligenei este complexitatea nsi; sora ignoranei este totodat i prostia nsi. (Aa grit-a Brncui, II.3f)
*** Plng este atta frumusee n sufletul meu nct mi se rupe inima, nimeni n jurul meu, nimeni! (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.63a) Dac mi-ai fi auzit adineaori vioara, ai fi neles suferina cumplit a sufletului meu. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.76a) Cred c suferinele ntresc pe om i sunt mai necesare dect orice plceri pentru formarea unui caracter.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.15d) n sufletul meu n-a fost loc nici pentru invidie nici pentru ur, ci numai pentru bucuria pe care o poi culege de oriunde i oricnd.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.28b) Cea mai mare fericire este contactul dintre esena noastr i esena etern. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.21a)
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*** Visul meu dintotdeauna a fost s hoinresc cntnd i s dispar ca un aed, rspndind bucurie. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.78a) Copil fiind, am visat mereu c zbor n copaci i n cer. Am rmas la nostalgia acestui vis i de patruzeci i cinci de ani fac psri. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.78b) N-am cutat toat viaa dect esena zborului. Zborul, ce fericire! (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.80a) Acum nu mai visez i nu e bine. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.78c)
*** Sculpturile mele nu trebuie s fie respectate, ci iubite. Trebuie s-i vin s te joci cu ele. (Aa grit-a Brncui, IV.1b) O sculptur bine fcut trebuie s aib darul de a-l vindeca pe cel care o privete. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.15a)
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Nu ajunge ca o sculptur s fie bine fcut trebuie s-i plac s-o atingi i s-i fie uor s trieti n preajma ei. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.15b) Coloana fr sfrit e aidoma unui cntec etern care ne poart n infinit, dincolo de orice durere i bucurie artificial. (Aa grit-a Brncui, IV.4a) Coloana mea nu poate avea nici soclu nici capitel, cum au coloanele antice: ea nu are nici nceput i nici sfrit.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, IV.4i) Pasrea miastr este ntruchiparea n duh cltor a celui mai adnc dor.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, IV.9a) Psrile mele sunt o serie de obiecte diferite, nscute dintr-o cutare unic, rmas mereu aceeai. Idealul realizrii acestei lucrri ar trebui s fie o mrire pentru a umple bolta cereasc. (Aa grit-a Brncui, IV.12c) Nu pasrea vreau s-o redau, ci harul ei, zborul, elanul. (Aa grit-a Brncui, IV.12d)
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*** Cine nu iese din Eu, nu atinge absolutul i nu descifreaz viaa.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.74m) Pentru ca s realizezi, nu trebuie s nu fii tu, ci s te distrugi.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.1b) Cnd lucrez, se pare c un Absolut se exprim prin mine, eu ca persoan nu mai contez, individul nu are importan. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.1c) Nu poi ajunge la lucrurile adevrate dect renunnd la Eu. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.18a) Exist un el n orice lucru. Pentru a-l atinge, trebuie s te desprinzi de tine nsui. (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.58a) n ultimele dou psri, alb i neagr, m-am apropiat cel mai mult de msura adevrat i m-am apropiat de ea cu ct reueam s m lepd de mine nsumi. (Aa grit-a Brncui, IV.12c)
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Nu mai sunt al lumii acesteia, sunt departe de mine nsumi, desprins de propriul meu trup. M aflu printre lucrurile eseniale. (Aa grit-a Brncui, VII.1m)
*** Spnd necontenit fntni interioare, am dat de izvorul vieii fr de moarte i al tinereii fr btrnee. Aa e arta: tineree fr btrnee i via fr de moarte.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.2h) Arta e o tain o credin, nu e o formul. Cnd se face dup o teorie e fals.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.5i) Arta nu e nici modern, nici veche, este art.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.6e) Arta ar trebui s fie numai bucurie.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.9d) Pentru a face art liber i universal, trebuie s fii Dumnezeu ca s creezi, rege ca s comanzi i sclav ca s execui. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.5c)
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*** Oamenii sunt asemenea diamantelor din mine. Pentru a se pune n valoare, trebuie s se frece de via, dup cum prin frecare se obine strlucirea diamantelor brute.* (Aa grit-a Brncui, XII.43g) ntr-o bun zi o pasre a intrat n atelierul meu. Cnd a vrut s ias, nu i-a mai gsit drumul i s-a lovit, speriat, de geamuri i de perei. O alt pasre mi-a intrat n atelier, s-a odihnit o clip pe un soclu i apoi i-a luat zborul, aflnd firesc calea care duce spre cer. La fel se ntmpl i cu artitii. (Aa grit-a Brncui, I.11h) Sorana Georgescu-Gorjan, Aa grit-a Brncui / Ainsi parlait Brancusi / Thus spoke Brancusi, Editura Scrisul Romnesc, Craiova, 2012. N.B. Textele marcate cu asterisc reprezint forma primar a cugetrilor formulate n limba romn de Constantin Brncui; restul textelor sunt traduceri n limba romn ale cugetrilor artistului formulate n limba francez sau publicate n limba englez.
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MRTURII
Despre Brncui
Opera lui, elementar i subtil totodat, este expresia unei gndiri artistice (i ca atare filosofice) extrem de lucid, elaborat, profund. Arta sa este expresia unei viziuni creatoare, foarte intelectualizat. [...] Brncui era mult mai tare dect toi doctorii. Era cunosctorul cel mai avizat al problemelor de art. Asimilase ntreaga istorie a sculpturii, pe care o dominase, o depise, o respinsese, o regsise, o purificase, o reinventase. i desprinsese esena. [...] Sintezele sale sunt surprinztoare, de necrezut: folclor fr pitoresc, realitate antirealist; figuri dincolo de figurativ; tiin i mister; dinamism n mpietrire; idee devenit concret, materializat, esen vizibil; intuiie original, dincolo de cultur, academii, muzee. Eugne Ionesco, Notes et Contre-notes, Gallimard, Paris, 1962 (traducere de Emilia Marinescu).
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Frecventarea lui Brncui nu nsemna doar contactul cu un mare artist, ale crui cugetri aruncau adesea lumini fulgurante asupra inteniilor sale artistice sau asupra genezei operelor; nsemna totodat ntlnirea cu un nelept ostil predicilor balsamice, care tia s sesizeze cu plasticitate frapant i clarviziune ironic sensul sau absurdul existenei. [mai 1933] inutul su de batin, Romnia, ale crei granie opera sa le depise de mult, rmnea mereu n pofida universalitii atinse de evoluia lui ulterioar un ferment activ, precum Irlanda pentru Joyce. Printre sculptorii care au marcat epoca, nu-i niciunul care s poarte n sine att de vie substana patriei sale. [] Tulburtor de emoionant rmne dorina lui Brncui din ultimele luni de via de a avea la ndemn, atrnat deasupra patului, un mare glob terestru luminat din interior, ca i cum n clipa sfritului ar fi vrut s fie n legtur cu ntreaga planet. [7 decembrie 1956] Carola Giedion-Welcker, Constantin Brncui, Editura Meridiane, Bucureti, 1981, (traducere de Olga Buneag i Ruxandra Buneag-Iotzu).
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Despre Titulescu
Ti-tu-les-cu! Cele patru silabe ale numelui su sonor au umplut istoria diplomatic de dup rzboi. El a fost unul dintre marii oameni ai Romniei, unul dintre marii oameni ai Micii nelegeri, unul dintre marii oameni ai Genevei i, pentru a spune totul, unul dintre marii oameni ai Europei. [] El a fost cel mai strlucit i cel mai dinamic dintre toi cei care au vrut s construiasc o Europ nou, bazat pe egalitatea puterilor i respectul tratatelor. Cnd norii au suit la orizont, el a fost unul dintre primii care a neles i poate primul care a vrut s ridice un dig n calea inundaiei care se anuna. Raymond Cartier, Quatre rponses de M. Titulesco, Lpoque, 6 iunie 1939 (traducere de George G. Potra).
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Eu cred c va trece mult vreme pn cnd amintirea lui se va terge din mintea poporului romn, pentru c va veni o vreme cnd Romnia se va ridica i va avea nevoie de ntreg ajutorul ce i-l pot da fiii ei. i atunci, aceia dintre noi care nu au uitat ce a fcut, ce a gndit i ce s-a strduit Titulescu s fac, l vom glorifica drept unul dintre cei mai mari oameni politici ai Romniei. Wickham Steed, Nicolae Titulescu Late Romanian Ambassador to Britain, New Times and Ethiopia News, 18 iulie 1942 (traducere de Delia Rzdolescu)
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Brancusi Titulesco: deux gants de lesprit roumain
BRANCUSI TITULESCO
mes surs
Franais
MES SURS
Ns quelque part en Oltnie, Brancusi et Titulesco ont chevauch deux sicles afin de propager le gnie roumain travers le monde. Ils ont choisi des voies diffrentes. Brancusi a fait de la pierre le vol. Titulesco a fait du verbe lide. Ils ont bris liconostase du sicle pour ouvrir un nouvel horizon leurs contemporains et leurs successeurs. Chacun a voulu tre un enfant de la libert de la pense et de laudace du geste. Tels deux toiles du matin, ils ont illumin le firmament du XXe sicle. Leur incomparable cachet se retrouve dans tous les coins du monde. Ils ont vcu et ont souffert, ont pens et ont cr, ont construit et ont mdit comme les hommes de leur poque. aucun moment, ils nont souffert de la modestie dtre Roumains. Ils ont vcu avec le drapeau tricolore dans leur cur. Ils ont amen la Roumanie en Europe et lEurope en Roumanie. Ils furent la fois Roumains et Europens. Partout o lhumanit tait chez elle, Brancusi et Titulesco lui furent des htes dhonneur.
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Ils ont laiss lHumanit un hritage que nous dcouvrons toujours plus riche que le projet abouti. Et ils ont donn rendez-vous lternit il y a plus de 50 ans, mais ils nous sont rests en permanence contemporains. Sur une carte de la spiritualit du XXe sicle, nous trouverons les noms de Brancusi et de Titulesco plus frquemment que nous ne pouvons limaginer prsent, parce quils projettent dans les Cieux de lesprance laspiration une victoire de la Vrit et du Bien. De faon intemporelle, ces deux grands crateurs nous obligent tre responsables, chaque instant, de lHumanit et de la Paix. Avec chaque pense de ces deux sages dont nous offrons au lecteur trois segments diffrents, dont lun traduit un dialogue entre des titans, alors que les deux autres traduisent leur message individuel, lun sur la voie du discours politique, lautre sous la forme de la mditation philosophique , nous sommes convoqus dcouvrir en nous le Beau, le protger et en faire cadeau gnreusement. Servant lHomme par lHomme, Brancusi et Titulesco nous ont donn la mesure de la hardiesse de lHomme, de sa capacit affronter le temps avec courage et conviction.
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Ames surs ne reprsente pas seulement une mtaphore. Par del le mariage des mots, par del le fait quils ne se sont rencontrs physiquement quune seule fois dans leur vie, ils sont rests constamment lun prs de lautre la Cne de la destine roumaine. Dans une nouvelle Chapelle Sixtine virtuelle, Brancusi et Titulesco, ces deux grands prtres du XXe sicle, laisseront avancer vers eux, venant des Cieux, lescalier conduisant la rencontre avec le Vrai, lHumanit et le Beau. Brancusi et Titulesco nous appellent aux cts des Dieux pour partager avec nous le miracle des zones clestes dans lesquelles sont accourues les formes et les mots laisss pour se disperser gnreusement, tel un collier cass de perles. George G. Potra
Traduit par Jean-Yves Conrad
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BRANCUSI TITULESCO Les deux gants marchent lentement, bras dessus, bras dessous Constantin Brancusi1, Nicolae Titulesco2. Quels oltniens ! Dans leur ensorcelante palanche ils ont transport de lor roumain travers le monde entier, plus fort que toutes les devises. Jai eu la chance dassister lune de leurs rencontres, que je serais mme de nommer historique. Titulesco se rendait souvent Paris. Envoy extraordinaire et ministre plnipotentiaire en Grande Bretagne, Londres,3 il tait, de facto, le ministre des affaires trangres permanent de la Roumanie. Ce juriste de classe, magnifique orateur, diplomate-toile, avec des droits incontestables dans lhistoire politique de son temps,
1
Constantin Brancusi (18761957). Sculpteur roumain. Personnalit marquante du XX-e sicle. Membre post mortem de lAcadmie Roumaine (1990). 2 Nicolae Titulesco (18821941). Homme dEtat et diplomate roumain. Figure illustre de la vie politique internationale de la premire moiti du vingtime sicle. Membre de lAcadmie Roumaine (1935). 3 Envoy extraordinaire et ministre plnipotentiaire de la Roumanie en Grande-Bretagne (16 Dcembre 19216 Juillet 1927; 31 Juillet 192820 Octobre 1932). 69
personnalit de vaste culture, intelligence brillante, esprit acide et sduisant, net et rigoureux, ayant une comprhension juste et profonde de toutes les gammes intellectuelles, il avait pourtant un petit talon dAchille, savoir les arts. Cest ainsi que le mystre Brancusi a t, jusqu un certain moment, un problme difficile, mme agaant pour lui. Jai t tout dabord, tmoin lnonc du problme par Brancusi lui-mme. En 1926 jtais le secrtaire dOctavian Goga4. Titulesco revient en Roumanie vers le mois de Mai. Ils sont de bons amis. Ils se complaisent lun et lautre en contact direct. Djeuner en tte--tte, chez Capsha, dans un spar. peu prs trois heures ils ont voqu, gren et tiss politique intrieure et trangre. Selon le rituel tabli, vers quatre heures, jarrive chercher Goga pour le conduire au Parlement5. Les deux grands sont en train de rafraichir leurs gorges avec des jus de pamplemousse et doranges. La fin de leur entretien est plus dtendue, plus sympathique. Nous demandons un caf-filtre. un moment
4
Octavian Goga (1881-1938). Pote et homme politique roumain (1881-1938), Premier ministre de 1937 1938. 5 De 1919. 70
donn Titulesco voque, avec plaisir, les succs europens dEnesco6, de Georges Georgesco7, de Traian Grozavesco8. Il dcrit avec fiert leur retentissement. Goga, avec un clin dil : Bien, bien, mais tu oublies Brancusi ? Pas du tout. Celui-l magace fort, Goga ! Quest-ce que tu dis ? Vous vous tes disputs ? Pas du tout. Mais il pos un problme difficile. Il ma cr un complexe Parfait, a veut dire quil t-a fortement impressionn. Tu ne tes pas tromp. Il sera le plus grand sculpteur de notre temps. Il est immense ! Cest facile pour toi den parler avec ton don exceptionnel concernant lapprciation des uvres artistiques du domaine des beaux-arts. Moi, jen suis presque dpourvu. Mais je dteste tout ce qui est obscur en moi-mme. Eh bien, Brancusi, franchement je nai pas russi le dchiffrer. Je me rends compte que dans sa sculpture il y a quelque chose dinhabituel, de
6
George Enesco (1881-1955). Compositeur roumain, violoniste, pianiste et chef d'orchestre. 7 Georges Georgesco (18871964). Chef dorchestre roumain. Directeur de lOpra Roumain et de la Philharmonie de Bucarest (depuis 1920). Membre correspondent de lAcadmie Roumaine (1963). 8 Traian Grozavesco (18951927). Tnor roumain. 71
grand, mais je narrive pas comprendre son langage. Tu comprends combien stupide peut tre une chose comme par exemple : lire avec admiration un livre clbre dont on est incapable de raconter ensuite le sujet ! Cest ainsi que a se passe avec Brancusi. Et devant un monde occidental qui est en train de le diviniser, moi, son double compatriote, je me trouve dans la posture dun perroquet ! Cest inadmissible. Je dois rsoudre ce problme : apprendre le vocabulaire de sa cration, savoir ce quil veut, comprendre le chemin sur lequel il sest engag, parler avec lui avec mes propres mots ! Et, appliqu et mthodique comme il tait, Titulesco a russi rsoudre le Problme nomm Brancusi. Jai t prsent la premire leon. Au printemps 1928, Titulesco avait travers le Canal de la Manche et se logeait, comme dhabitude, Paris, lHtel Chatham. Javais un ami, attach de Lgation, un brave type (trs beau garon), Sandu Stanesco 9. Lui aussi oltnien de souche. Un beau matin il sonne ma porte. Allons lAmbassade, mon cher Russu ! Le Chef (cest comme a que les proches de Titulesco sadressaient lui) nous
9
Alexandre Stanesco (18901952). Juriste et diplomate roumain. 72
envoie chez Brancusi pour essayer tout prix de le convaincre quil soit linvit de Titulesco demain, au djeuner. (Stanesco en sa qualit doltnien, prcisment du mme dpartement que Brancusi, bnficiait dune certaine confiance de la part de celui-l.) Nous tirons la clochette de la porte lImpasse Ronsin. On a de la chance. Brancusi nous sourit. Il mesura du regard nos ttes (de mme comme il le faisait avec les pastques au march de son village), ensuite il nous dit : Jaccepte. * Deux sinon trois heures fascinantes pour moi. Nous sommes quatre assis autour dune grande table ronde, dans de confortables fauteuils de bambou, sur la terrasse, dans le large espace du clbre pavillon Henri IV Saint-Germain. La journe est magnifique : une robe de bal ptillante sur le corps du printemps. En dessous de nous, la Seine verte qui serpente avec des reflets dargent. Tout au loin, comme sur lhorizon hallucinant dun mirage, dans une poudre dor fin, se dresse la magnifique silhouette de Paris Un fin djeuner (choisit par Titulesco lui-mme). Le Grand roumain europen, avec
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sa verve tincelante, nous a berc dans une conversation agrable, varie, portant sur tous les sujets possibles. Brancusi sest surtout amus des incidents et des aventures de la haute-vole politique du monde raconts par Titulesco. Au cognac et au caf, bref silence. Brusquement, le sourire de Titulesco sest fig, sa voix devient mesure et srieuse. Matre Manole10, dit-il sadressant Brancusi, je voudrais te faire une grande prire. Brancusi avec son il de diable : coutons ! Je souhaite te demander de me donner une leon. De diplomatie ?... Non. De Brancusi ! Allons, laisse tomber les devinettes diplomatiques, Mon Ministre ! Viens au sujet. Alors, llve Titulesco (parce quil savait nimporte quand tre sage, attentif, apprendre de qui que ce soit), il explique Brancusi, simplement et clairement sa perplexit devant le mystre Brancusi ? Son dsir, son besoin impratif de comprendre, de pouvoir commenter sa cration, de ses propres forces. Tu sais, conclut Titulesco, quand on est oblig de frquenter tellement de monde comme moi, cest vraiment pnible de faire le
10
Personnage dune ballade populaire roumaine qui parle dune cration artistique qui demande un sacrifice 74
perroquet Brancusi semble samuser. Il a un sourire espigle. Je comprends, tu ne sais pas comment parler de moi. Mais Titulesco ne sourit pas. Il rpond avec la mme simplicit et le mme srieux. Cest exact. Et je veux savoir. Je veux apprendre savoir. Je te prie de maider. Nous sommes lun et lautre roumain et oltnien, nest-ce pas ? Et voil que le crateur de lOiseau de Feu aussi ouvre la porte vers le srieux. Il se dresse dans sa chaise, il hausse sa tte, regarde attentivement Titulesco et conclut, avec une vibration quil tente dissimuler sous une voix neutre. Oui nous sommes oltniens et roumains. Tous les deux Et quest-ce que tu voudrais savoir ? Tout. Tout ?! Il est un peu long ton dsir Disons un tout limit, concde Titulesco. Voil, Brancusi, je ne conois pas quil soit une vrit authentique qui ne puisse tre clairement expose par une personne ayant un raisonnement normal. Non ? Il va de soi. Eh bien, il y a une vrit Brancusi. Je ne dis pas mystre. Vrit ! Cette vrit, je voudrais la connatre. Je ne suis pas un grand
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connaisseur des beaux-arts. Et pourtant je me crois capable de comprendre cette vrit Brancusi, si elle mest prsente clairement. Combien de formulations, de suppositions, daffirmations nai-je lu et entendu ! Elles ne mont pas clairci. Quest-ce que tu es : avant-gardiste, dadaste, cubiste, surraliste, baroque, abstrait ? Quest-ce que cest que ton art nouveau ? Comment es-tu arriv cette manire de sculpter ? Que veux-tu communiquer au monde ? Cest a ce que je souhaite savoir. De toi, Matre Manole. De toi. Je souhaite tadmirer sans chercher ttons, mais avec les yeux grands ouverts. (Les mots taient devenus si brulants dans la manire de fraser de ce grand orateur qua t Titulesco, que je vis comme jamais un Brancusi prisonnier, conquis). Quelques instants il sest tu, pesant du regard Titulesco. Un regard, un autre que celui de tous les jours. Il y avait de lmotion dans lair, quil sut cacher brusquement, sous un ton serein et un certain sourire de bonhomme : Jai entendu dire que depuis la premire classe de maternelle, jusquaux sommets des doctorats, tas eu uniquement la note dix Titulesco : un geste. eh bien, je ne vais pas te recaler la discipline Brancusi Tu vois, en gnral, quand il sagit dans lart de quelque chose de nouveau, le monde souhaite que ce soit
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sensationnel et cherche toujours des sophistications, des termes affects. Je ne suis ni un surraliste, ni cubiste, ni baroque, ni autre chose de ce genre. Moi, avec mon nouveau, je viens de quelque chose de trs ancien Cest sur ce ton de bonhomie, calme qua commenc ce long monologue de Brancusi. Ensuite, graduellement a suivi un vrai dploiement. Je fus surpris pendant quelques instants. Jamais ni moi, ni dautres nombreuses personnes avec lesquelles javais discut de lui nous navions pas entendu le crateur de la Colonne sans fin parler de lui que tout au plus quelques mots, exprims et l, diverses occasions. Comment Titulesco pouvait-il avoir une telle influence et le dterminer sortir de sa faon dtre pour lui avouer largement une vraie profession de foi ? Je me rendais compte que ce ntait pas seulement que leuropen roumain tait aussi oltnien. Je savais que ce ntait ni la volont de faire plaisir une personnalit avec de hautes fonctions. Brancusi tait totalement en dehors de telles obdiences. Au contraire Aprs des mois et des mois dans un jour de bonne disposition, tout en flnant travers une banlieue de bals populaires jai os demander Brancusi quelle a t la raison davoir fait ces confidences Titulesco. Je me souviens : il sest arrt, ma regard longuement et ma dit appuyant srieusement
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sur les mots : Il mritait, plus que personne, que je lui fasse un plaisir, mme lui rendre un service Je lis les journaux de temps autre, assez rarement dailleurs, mais nombreux ont t ceux qui mont dit, anglais, amricains, franais, que Titulesco, talent dexception, est aujourdhui le plus grand dfenseur de la Paix. Il a fait et il fait beaucoup pour la Paix ! Tu comprends, Fiston ? (Jai bien compris et je me suis rappel la haine implacable de Brancusi lgard de la guerre. Elle ntait pas que conceptuelle, avec des rsonances morales, sociales. Ctait aussi quelque chose de tempramental. Il devenait enrag et il jetait feu et flamme ne fusse qu entendre le mot guerre). * Oui. Il suivit cette heure de confidences brancusiennes. Unique. Tout au moins pour moi. Unique. Nuclaire, charge dintrt et dmotion artistique. Dans mon journal de bord, dans lequel, Paris, je notais les moments forts, les entretiens importants, javais not lpoque, en rsum, les propos de Brancusi. voquant ses phrases simples et lourdes de contenu, naturellement, je ntais pas mme de dire que je les avais retenues cent pour cent. Mais je suis sr de pouvoir affirmer que je
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ne risquais pas de dnaturer le sens de ses mots. Je parle de sa manire de phraser, tachant donc de mapprocher le plus possible de la vrit, parce que dans des mots qui mappartiennent, je risquerais, sans nul doute, de transmettre quelque chose dexact (peut-tre), mais froid, didactique. * Moi, a poursuivi Brancusi, jai t tout dabord paysan. Et je suis rest paysan jusqu ce jour (Il tait superbe prononant ces mots, avec les yeux brillant comme des diamants et la barbe hrisse). Le paysan ? Le Roumain ? Tu le connais. Lun joue de la feuille, lautre du pipeau. Lun cuit largile, peint les pots Moi jai taill. Ds mon enfance jai t appel par le bois et le couteau. Ensuite, par la pierre et le ciseau. Le cuivre et le marteau. Tous ensembles avaient probablement quelque chose me dire. Je les ai couts. Et je suis ainsi arriv avoir moi aussi quelque chose dire, par leur voix. Jai appris leur langue. De longues annes, jusqu bien matriser mon mtier. Je suis devenu sculpteur. Jai march moi aussi, un petit bout de chemin sur des sentiers battus. Jai fait de la sculpture (accent un peu ironique). Je serais injuste de renier cette poque. Jai sculpt avec zle et avec ardeur. Certaines pices, ttes denfant, la Muse, la
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Prire, quelques portraits me plaisaient. Peuttre que parmi elles il y avait des pices moins mauvaises que celle de mes confrres consacrs (Il mit le point sur cette premire priode, sirotant, lentement le verre de vieux Pommard). Jusquau jour o je nai plus aim ce que je faisais Plus du tout. La question, lentement pose par Titulesco paraissait demander une confirmation : Tu nas plus aim ce que tu faisais ?!... Non, je nai plus du tout aim. Ctait important. Car le plaisir avec lequel travaille lartiste est le cur de son art. Sans cur il ny a pas dart. La premire condition est celle de te plaire ce que tu fais, aimer vivement ce que tu fais. Que ce soit ta joie. Par ton bonheur, donner du bonheur aux gens. Quand je me suis rendu compte avec certitude que je naimais plus ce que faisais est arriv la question : pourquoi je ne laime plus ? Quelques mots. Des annes et des annes me furent ncessaires afin darriver me rpondre et pouvoir mengager sur mon vrai chemin. Je regardais longuement les sculptures des autres de ceux qui taient de certes talents et les miennes. Quest ce qui me dplaisait ? Bien sculpt, bien taill, bien poli, minutieusement, avec les dtails bien raliss, rien reprocher. Mais ce ntait pas vivant. On aurait dit des fantmes. Figs ! Moi je veux donner vie, mouvement, lan, joie. Je suis de
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plus en plus drang par limpression de crypte, de monument funraire, de limpression que me donnent ces sculptures-l. Petit petit, le chemin sest ouvert lui-mme (Avec un mouvement lger, presque inobserv, Titulesco a tir vers lui le carton sur lequel tait crit table rserve et a sorti de sa veste un petit crayon en or. Comme un tudiant consciencieux, le europen commena prendre des notes Le moment a quelque chose de presque solennel.) Et il rpte, en sourdine, comme, une question, les paroles de Brancusi : Il sest ouvert par lui-mme ? Tu nes pas trop modeste ? Un instant le Matre sest exprim presque rudement : Non. Je ne suis pas modeste. Je naime pas lhypocrisie Oui, le chemin sest ouvert par lui-mme, de jugement en jugement, dessai en essai. Moi, quand jtais un garonnet et je flnais au bord de leau ou dans les bois, javais une conviction, savoir que tout objet, anim ou pas, a une me. Cest ce que je crois aussi prsent. Et alors, au carrefour de ma profession, je me suis dit : elle, cette me du sujet, je dois la rendre. Parce que lme sera toujours vivante. Ou, si tu veux, lide du sujet. Celle-l ne meurt jamais pour celui qui regarde luvre dart. Par contre, elle crot en lui, comme la vie de la vie. (Il sest tu quelques instants, je ne me suis
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pas rendu compte pourquoi, et il regarda audel de nous. Ensuite, il parla de nouveau, avec calme, clairement.) De cette pense-l, on aboutit logiquement la conclusion que ce nest pas le dtail qui cre luvre, cest justement ce qui qui est essentiel qui la cre. Jai beaucoup travaill afin de trouver le mode mme de me faciliter la voie me permettant de trouver pour chaque objet, la forme-cl, capable de rsumer avec force lide du sujet. Bien sr que cela ma conduit vers lart non-figuratif. Ctait un fait. Je ne me suis jamais propos que je fasse moi un art nouveau, tonner le monde avec une lubie. Moi, veill par mon souhait, avec mon plaisir, jai jug de manire simple comme tu peux le voir et jai abouti quelque chose toujours simple, extrmement simple. une synthse qui puisse suggrer ce que je voulais reprsenter. Et jai cherch tout au long de nombreuses annes, de mettre en exergue partir du bois, du bronze, du marbre, ce diamant cach lessentiel comme le font les mineurs en le sortant des entrailles de la terre. (Le dernier mot sest teint. Brancusi sirote de nouveau lentement le verre que je viens de lui remplir.) Titulesco est visiblement trs conquis par les propos du Matre. Il bouge lgrement et dit : Oui. Cest clair et simple...
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(Il sourit.) comme syllogistique. Mais dis-moi, si je ne tennuie pas abusivement, comment se traduit pratiquement la conclusion artistique si claire ? Brancusi sourit lui aussi. Toujours trs simplement. Comment te dire ? Est-ce que tu as un peu de talent pour dessiner ? Pas du tout. Zro ! Alors, voil, toujours par la logique (il rit), car cela il parat que tu as un peu de talent Est-ce que tu as vu lun de mes oiseaux ? Vu ? Je crois avoir contempl pendant une heure deux dentre eux Eh bien, ils ont plu beaucoup de monde. Plus encore : mes intentions ont t comprises. Directement, par intuition. Quai-je fait pratiquement ? Jai limin les ailes et le bec, les griffes et la crte, les yeux et les jambes Titulesco sourit. Mais il nest plus rien rest de loiseau !... Rien de banal. Mais toute la quintessence de loiseau, lide, son me : quelques lignes, un certain angle, et des courbes, qui rendrent le vertigineux envol vers le ciel. Lide de loiseau : le vol ! Je regardais Titulesco en ce moment.
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Il tait tout oue. Je comprends, Matre Manole, dit ! DAristote et Boethius11 jusqu Lalande12, personne ne serait capable de nier la perfection de ta syllogistique. Mais pourquoi cette extrme, cette nuclaire condensation dans laquelle tu veux tout inclure ? Titulesco est foudroy par le regard de Brancusi : Ah, a veut dire que tu faisais un petit jeu de modestie ? Je vois que tu ntais pas loin de la vrit !... Pourquoi ? Parce que moi jai cherch, et je cherche encore et encore, la forme-cl qui soit la vrit de lessentiel. Mon coq nest pas un coq. Mon oiseau nest pas un oiseau. Ce sont de symboles. Je cherche, jaime le naturel, la beaut primaire, directe. ternelle ! Je veux lever tout au-del de la terre. Je veux que mon oiseau comble lair en sa totalit, exprime la grande libration Titulesco a boug dans sa chaise de bambou et sest rapproch de Brancusi, qui sest tu. Donc tu aspires une sorte de spiritualisation de la matire
11
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480 524 a.J.Ch.). Homme dtat et philosophe. 12 Joseph-Jrme Lefranois de Lalande (17321807). Astronome franais. Roger Lalande (1893 1975). Metteur en scne et scnographe dopra franais. 84
Et Brancusi a fait son tour un mouvement de rapprochement. Et Brancusi de rpondre nettement : Non, pas une sorte. Franchement ! Je veux dcouvrir lesprit de la matire, apprendre ce quest lme des choses. Je veux que la matire vive selon ses lois. Elle sait mieux que nous quelle est la vrit Titulesco parlant tous bas, comme pour soi-mme : Cest comme un message transmis par un tre qui nutilise pas la parole. Quelque chose qui tend vers luniversel. Brusquement, Brancusi se dtend, rit discrtement et lui tape sur lpaule : Eh bien, test un lve espigle, monsieur le ministre ! Tas lu la leon davance tu veux tonner ! Mais Titulesco ne sourit pas. Il rpond dun ton grave : Non, Matre. Je suis vritablement sincre. Je ne plaisante pas. Je me rjouissais Brancusi avec un ton tout aussi brusquement chang : Et tu crois que moi je plaisantais ? Non. Moi aussi je me rjouis Oui. Cest a que jai cherch : la voie vers luniversel. Cest la raison pour laquelle mes personnages qui nutilisent pas la parole ne se trouvent pas dans aucun trait de zoologie. Et toujours ainsi les cratures sculptes et tailles par moi, mme si elles
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portent un nom, je suis incapable de leur confrer un tat civil Jai cherch toujours lessence, le caractre profond. Lide de leur personnalit qui puisse tre un symbole de puret, de grce, de mystre, de tourment, dlan. Et jai la certitude, que si jai russi arracher la matire sa vrit, son esprit, et les inclure dans cette ide-cl, exprime dans le bois, dans le marbre, ou dans le bronze, jai dcouvert la voie de lesprit et la sensibilit de celui qui contemple mes sculptures. Et lui, il ajoutera de son propre esprit, tourment, veill vers la beaut, une multitude dimpressions, de suggestions cratrices. Il va collaborer avec moi en cet instant-l. Il va enrichir ma cration ... Il sarrte. Il ne nous regarde plus. Le silence plane de longs moments. Ensuite, Titulesco sest lev, vint devant Brancusi qui lui aussi se leva. Ctait un Titulesco insolite. On aurait dit amoindri. Oui. Merveilleux Matre Manole ! Ils se sont donns chaleureusement lembrassade simultanment. Tu mappelles Manole. Mais celui-l il a mur en pierre sa bien-aime. Il a travaill avec la pire des douleurs. Moi je travaille avec plaisir, ministre ! ... Titulesco la pris par le bras : On fait un petit tour dans la fort ? Oui, volontiers.
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Nous entrons sous le tunnel de feuilles senteur amre. La frache respiration du printemps nous caresse avec une brise mme de nous griser. Les deux gants marchent lentement bras dessus, bras dessous. Les arbres sculaires du temps des Rois de France leur font une rvrence. Vintil Russu-Sirianu, Brancusi Titulesco, dans Gazeta Literar, XIV, no. 41, 12 Octobre 1967. Traduit par Andrei Magheru
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LE CUR DE LA ROUMANIE1
Mes chers concitoyens, Lanne sapproche partir de laquelle, brusquement, sans avertissement, tragiquement, la Roumanie a t mise devant le moment de devoir dcider de tous les efforts de son pass sombre et hostile et de toutes les promesses de son avenir lumineux et superbe. Le moment suprme que jai entrevu avec tous dans nos rves de grandeur, le moment que je nentrevoyais pas lespoir de voir arriver, gnration appele le fter ! Ce qui sest pass alors, comment fut entrav laccomplissement du pch monstrueux et inepte de nous faire verser le sang pour protger les frontires de nos ennemis, ces frontires qui depuis des sicles nous touffent, ces frontires qui sont comme des entailles profondes et douloureuses dans le corps vivant de la nation, ces frontires qui, si nous ne russissons pas les anantir2,
1
Discours prononc par Nicolae Titulescu, en langue roumaine, lors du meeting national de Ploieti du 3 Mai 1915. 2 Le 17 fvrier 1867 a t conclu laccord austro -hongrois relatif la cration dun tat dualiste comprenant lAutriche et la Hongrie, dans le cadre duquel la Transylvanie est reste incorpore la Hongrie, cet accord annulant son autonomie. 89
entraveraient notre libert comme les murs dune prison, lombre de laquelle la vie perd de sa vigueur et meurt. Nous savons tous ce qui sest pass alors ! Comme nous avons alors t protgs afin de ne pas tre malheureux et petits, frustrs et indignes, opprims et cependant dconsidrs, tout cela va tre une gloire ternelle pour tous ceux qui ont eu la mission de lexaucer ! Linstinct du peuple, par ses lus, sest prononc temps !3 Et linstinct ne peut cependant sarrter ici, linstinct ne peut pas sendormir, alors que lme sest rveille ! Et lme roumaine, trouble par les souvenirs historiques, trouble par son destin de grandeur, quelle avait toujours entrevu lhorizon trouble par la puissance du moment par lequel elle passe, lme roumaine, plus vive et plus leve aujourdhui que jamais, ordonne que lon passe rapidement laction ! Le problme qui se pose aujourdhui la Roumanie est terrible, mais simple : ou la Roumanie saisit le devoir que lui ont impos les
3
La Conseil de la Couronne qui sest tenu Sinaa le 3 aot 1914, conseil auquel ont pris part, aux cts des membres du gouvernement, une dlgation d hommes politiques de lopposition, a repouss la demande du roi Carol 1er (soutenu par P.P. Carp) dentrer en guerre aux cts des Puissances Centrales et a dcid ladoption dune politique de neutralit arme. 90
vnements en cours, et alors son histoire commence peine, tandis que son avenir sera une vengeance prolonge et magnifique de ses humiliations sculaires ; ou bien la Roumanie, myope envers tout ce qui est demain , les yeux grand ouverts sur ce qui est aujourdhui , ne le comprend pas et reste fige sur place, et alors son histoire apparatra pour lternit comme un exemple unique et misrable dun suicide existentiel ! Dans les circonstances actuelles, la Roumanie doit sortir entire et grande ! La Roumanie ne peut pas tre entire sans lArdeal ! Et la Roumanie ne peut tre grande sans sacrifices ! LArdeal est le berceau qui a protg son enfance, cest lcole qui a forg le peuple, cest lenchantement qui a soutenu sa vie. LArdeal est ltincelle qui allume lnergie, cest la mutilation qui crie vengeance, cest lhypocrisie qui demande chtiment, cest ltranglement qui cherche la libert ! LArdeal, cest le sentiment national des Roumains dans la calamit, cest le rconfort qui loigne lennemi, cest la vie qui rclame la vie ! Il nous faut lArdeal ! Nous ne pouvons rien sans lui ! Nous saurons lobtenir et, bien plus, le mriter ! Pour lArdeal, il nest aucune vie qui ne steigne avec plaisir ; pour lArdeal, il nest aucun effort qui ne soffre du plus profond de
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ses entrailles ; pour lArdeal, tout change, tout sembellit et mme la mort se transforme : elle cesse de devenir hideuse, elle devient attrayante ! LArdeal nest pas seulement le cur de la Roumanie politique. Regardez la carte : lArdeal est le cur de la Roumanie gographique ! De ses sommets naissent des eaux qui ont baign le sentiment national des Roumains dans lHistoire : au nord, le Some ; louest, le Mure ; au sud, lOlt ! Le long des Carpates, la Roumanie daujourdhui stend comme une simple zone militaire dune forteresse naturelle tenue par des mains trangres ! Qui ne se sent pas atteint au trfonds de son corps lorsquil est question de lArdeal, alors celui-l nest pas roumain et est de la graine qui sest niche en Roumanie lorsque les vents soufflaient de toutes parts ! Il nous faut lArdeal, mais il nous le faut avec des sacrifices ! La chair ne colle pas la chair sans que coule le sang ! Pour conqurir lArdeal, il ne nous faut pas rester neutre ! La neutralit a eu sa raison dtre, mais ce temps est rvolu ! Elle a eu sa raison dtre, car notre neutralit ne fut ni calcul, ni crainte ! Notre neutralit fut, au commencement, le mur dfinitif rig contre ceux qui voulaient nous forcer une sacrilge contre le peuple et
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dont sest brise la vision hraldique : le vautour roumain portant dans son bec la couronne de Saint Etienne ; cette neutralit sest transforme ensuite en un refuge derrire lequel nous pouvons nous prparer et attendre le jour suprme ; la neutralit est devenue aujourdhui une toile daraigne, que nimporte quel vent innocent peut mettre en miettes ! La Roumanie ne peut pas prolonger sa neutralit au-del des limites de ses ncessits et, bien plus, au-del des limites de sa dignit. Un tat ne peut rester neutre que sil a quelque chose rclamer. Un tat ne peut pas rester neutre sil a des revendications mettre et que si, bien plus, il les a formules ! Cela signifie ou bien quil nest pas en mesure de conqurir ce quil prtend tre soi, ce qui est humiliant jusqu en souffrir, ou bien quil a renonc de son bon gr son idal, ce qui est absurde la folie ! On ne peut pas imaginer que ce qua conu lesprit roumain, que ce qua senti lme roumaine ne puisse pas se concrtiser par lnergie roumaine. Mais rien naffaiblit plus lnergie que lattente, rien ne luse plus srement que le fait de ne pas lutiliser, rien, au contraire, ne la rveille plus, jusquau paroxysme, que la conscience quelle est forte et considre. Et, de cette considration, le sentiment national des Roumains a aujourdhui besoin
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plus que jamais. Que dis-je ? Bien plus que toute autre considration ! Aujourdhui, alors que les tats les plus civiliss ont accept cet horrible massacre, ce ravage nul autre pareil, non pour faire disparatre une nation, mais pour dtruire une conception, non pour instaurer une domination, mais pour inaugurer une politique, il apparat clairement que personne ne se rjouira des consquences du nouvel ordre des choses, sil ne sest pas montr la hauteur de lpoque, non seulement par sa bravoure, mais surtout par son esprit ! Sans lutte sanguinaire et noble, sans fratrie darmes et de douleur, aucune borne de frontire ne bougera de lendroit o elle est implante ! Sans foi dans ceux qui nous ont prcds dans la lutte, sans leur conviction que nous avons une profonde ide du droit et des devoirs, sans lamour sincre de la libert, non seulement de la ntre, mais de celle de tous, sans lvation continue de lme, notre sacrifice, aussi grand ft-il, ne peut porter ses fruits, parce quil lui manque justement ce qui lengendre : sa valeur morale ! Cest pourquoi je crois que ceux qui nous dirigent noublieront pas un seul instant quils reprsentent aujourdhui bien plus que le raffinement roumain, mais quils reclent en eux la haute conception morale du sentiment
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national des Roumains, en tant que force civilisatrice ! Et peut-tre que ceci simposera plus facilement par une attitude que par un argument, plus aisment par un acte hroque que par une ngociation prolonge. Ou le sentiment national des Roumains se rvlera comme une force civilisatrice de premier plan, et alors, il triomphera, ou ce sentiment prouvera quil nest que la marque dun gosme lche et cupide, et alors il prira, comme va sombrer, lissue de cette guerre, tout ce qui na pas la protection du droit ou du sacrifice ! Mais que dis-je ? Le sentiment national des Roumains disparatra ? Est-ce quen chacun dentre nous nexiste pas la volont de sacrifice ? Est-ce quen chacun dentre nous nexiste pas la rvolte contre linjustice et le dgot de loppression ? Est-ce que, dans notre sang, ne dorment pas nos prdcesseurs qui attendent lheure dtre rveills dans la grandeur ? Le sentiment national des Roumains ne va pas prir la suite de cette guerre. Ne prira que celui qui sest montr indigne de lui ! Nicolae Titulescu, Inima Romniei, Pledoarii pentru pace, Editura Enciclopedic, Bucureti, 1996. Traduit par Jean-Yves Conrad
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CONFESSIONS DE BRANCUSI Soit maudit, dsir de partir, / Pour mavoir men dans ces parages, / Pourquoi ne mas-tu pas laiss chez moi ?! / Que je puisse tre quelquun dans le village, / Avoir mon repas le soir / Et un bon lit pour me reposer. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.13c) Le flau de la destine me spare de vous / Je men vais courir le monde pour chercher fortune / Et si jamais je la trouverai / je reviendrai tout vous raconter. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.61a) Si le monde est ainsi / et je ne comprends pas comment il va / pourquoi est-ce que le dsir de partir me mne / et que je recommence monter ? (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.13b) veille-toi, homme / prends la bonne route / viens bout de la fainantise et de la paresse qui tarrtent. / Pareil laigle, prends ton essor vers les sphres sereines. / Chante le don du monde. Oublie-toi ! (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.7a)
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Sapin pour la noce, / Sapin pour la mort ! / Imagine-toi / Toutes les choses sont la mme chose. / La mme chose sont toutes les choses. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.35a) La charrue nen a cure si elle jette des sillons sur les feuilles mortes, puisque derrire elle le bl pousse et va nourrir les hommes. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IX.d) Jaime le rond parce quil roule / Et jaime le carr parce quil ne bouge pas.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.5a)
*** Nous pensons que la route est difficile parce que nous ne savons pas marcher, nous nous htons comme des sots, arriver au bout dun seul coup, ou bien nous restons au bord de la route et nous nous plaignons comme des enfants buts, en cherchant toute sorte de raisons pour cacher notre faiblesse et incertitude Ceux qui savent mesurer leurs pas sont en trs petit nombre. Et ces Hyperions, immortels et froids , marchent lentement, laissant derrire eux la grande route. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.4e)
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Seigneur qui tes descendu sur terre et avez clair le monde, tournez votre lumire vers moi et faites-moi suivre le droit chemin. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, X.2e) On natteindra jamais Dieu. Mais limportant cest le courage de voyager vers lui. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, X.2u) La chose la plus formidable cest de marcher bien, tant conscient de soi et du chemin.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VI.h) Le chemin que jai pris a t long et dur.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.1e) Il faut monter trs haut, pour voir trs loin.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.70a) Voir loin cest une chose et aller l cest une autre.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.73a) Lorsquon sengage sur le chemin du beau, la chose devient comme ce chteau de conte de fe : plus on le voit prs, plus il est loin.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.13j)
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La vie est pareille une spirale. Nous ne connaissons pas la direction du but. Il faut marcher dans la direction quon croit tre la bonne. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.74h) Ma vie a t triste comme la tristesse elle-mme et dure comme la duret elle-mme. Quelque chose continuellement plus fort que moi ma pouss en avant vers une chose sans nom qui ma fait lutter contre toutes les misres ennemies.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.74a, VI.g) Au bout du chemin comme au-del, tout se confond avec la divinit.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, X.2n)
*** peine les lois des hommes me donnent une moiti dun sicle et pourtant jai vcu des milliers dannes.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.72a) Le temps parfait lesprit humain et lesprit luimme lexige. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.66a)
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Le temps se droule en spirale autour dun noyau ternel : rien dune ascension pyramidale qui sachve en pointe .* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.66b) Notre pre est le soleil et notre mre est la terre.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.60a) Ma Patrie, ma famille, cest la Terre qui tourne la brise du vent, les nuages qui passent, leau qui verse, le feu qui chauffe. Herbes vertes herbes sches de la boue, de la neige.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.44a)
*** Fais rpandre dans le pays le bruit que ltendard de lOlt a commenc se tisser lombilic de la terre. Je suis reu au Salon avec trois uvres. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.1c) la guerre je nirai pas, car le conseil de rvision ne ma pas trouv bon pour [y] aller, mais je suis fort content que mon pays soit entr.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.1d)
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Je dus partir moi aussi dans le monde, ds mon enfance, pour faire fortune. Je ne me suis point dracin pour aller aux quatre vents. Mon art en tira profit et je fut sauv en tant quhomme. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.1g) Jaurais pu avoir de largent, si javais fait autre chose. Mais jai voulu faire de la sculpture et cest parce que je lai voulu que je suis venu Paris. Mon jeu est moi. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.1h) Ce que je fais, le sort la voulu ainsi. Je suis venu au monde avec une mission. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.3g)
*** Je naime point parler de moi ou de mon art. Mes uvres parlent toutes seules et nont pas besoin dexplication. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.3j) Ne cherchez pas de formules obscures ou de mystre. Cest de la joie pure que je vous donne. Regardez les sculptures jusqu' ce que vous les voyiez. Les plus prs de Dieu les ont vues.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.9a, X.2a)
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Quand on est dans la sphre du beau on na pas besoin dexplications.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.13d) Lart cest un miroir dans lequel chacun voit ce quil pense.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.2d) Les choses dart sont des miroirs dans lesquels chacun voit ce qui lui ressemble.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VI.a)
*** Cest le beau qui nat comme une plante et se dveloppe selon sa destine.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.13f) Le beau nest pas le grandiose le beau cest lquit absolue.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.13b) Le beau cest lharmonie des diffrentes choses contraires. Plus les choses sont difficiles rconcilier, plus le beau est grand.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.13c)
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*** La spiritualit de la forme, lquilibre prcis, mathmatique, larchitecture, il faut les apprcier tout aussi que les matriaux. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.12i) On ne peut pas faire ce que lon veut, mais ce que le matriau permet. On ne peut pas faire en marbre ce quon voudrait raliser en bois, ou en bois ce que lon voudrait raliser en pierre. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, II.5b) Il faut devenir lami de la matire, la faire parler dans le sens du bien et du beau. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, II.4c) Imagine-toi que le chne devant toi est un vieillard sagace est disert. La parole de ton ciseau doit tre pleine de respect et daffection. Cest la seule faon de le contenter. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, II.7a)
*** Comme un objet lger quon pose au fond de lOcan profond comme [un] aveugle sans savoir pourquoi, je dus marcher et lutter avec tous les courants et les obstacles pour sortir la surface. Heureux ceux qui viennent au monde
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leur place, qui jouent leur rle tranquillement et sen vont.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IX.a) Je suis lpave que les eaux mnent vers la terre ferme, que ceux qui ne peuvent plus nager viennent vers moi je les amne gratuit. Ceux qui veulent prir, quils prissent dans la boue. La lumire nest pas donne ceux qui ne peuvent la voir.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IX.b) 1920 Mars 5. Cest aujourdhui que je coupe la chane de la remorque et que sur locan immense je me laisse voguer vers lInconnu, que ma foi me guide et si je ne viens vers toi Dieu, ce nest quune folie.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, X.2b) En me changeant un peu, je pourrais menraciner et faire pousser de nouvelles formes, au lieu de les tailler dans le marbre. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.12f) Tout prs de choses grandes ne peuvent pousser que des choses petites.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IX.c) Il ne pousse rien sous les grands arbres.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IX.l)
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*** La forme et ses proportions quilibres sont le grand Oui, par elles nous arrivons nous connatre.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.12c) Je pense quune vraie forme devrait suggrer linfini. Les surfaces devraient avoir lair dexister pour toujours, comme si, sorties de la matire, elles poursuivaient une sorte dexistence complte et parfaite. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.12d ) Avec cette forme je pourrais faire mouvoir lunivers. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.12e) Je nai jamais cherch faire ce quon appelle une forme pure ou abstraite. [] Plnitude et volume sont ncessaires pour rendre le choc du rel. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.12h)
*** Jaimerai installer ma Colonne dans Central Park. Elle serait plus grande que toute autre construction, trois fois plus grande que votre oblisque de Washington, avec une base dune
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largeur correspondante (soixante mtres ou plus). Elle serait en mtal. Dans chaque pyramide il y aurait des appartements, o les gens pourraient vivre, et tout en haut, je mettrais mon oiseau, un immense oiseau en quilibre sur le fate de ma Colonne infinie. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, III.1a) Depuis huit ans dj il est question que jrige un monument pour les hros, dans mon village natal de Gorj. Il y a deux comits qui ne se sont pas mis daccord jusqu' prsent. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, III.3b) Si lon me laisse une libert totale et assez de temps aussi, je me devrais dimmortaliser lesprit de Caragiale. (Te rappelles-tu limpatience avec laquelle nous attendions autrefois la parution de ses articles ?) Quant au montant de lexcution, je ne peux me rendre compte sans faire un projet, pour lequel jai besoin dun plan sommaire o figurent les dimensions de lemplacement et les btiments qui lentourent. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, III.3c) Je vous envoie lesquisse du projet pour la porte []. Le projet a t calcul pour tre plac une petite distance de lintrieur du jardin avec la possibilit de tourner autour, avec un banc de pierre droite et gauche. Pose au bord du
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trottoir comme nous avons dcid ensemble, elle nest pas dune grande utilit pour la clture du jardin, ni pour tre vue comme un objet part. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IV.15a) Une forme pure aurait t plus apte a voquer Haret, tout en charmant lil du spectateur et en glorifiant la mmoire de lhomme pour lequel le monument est rig. Dans nos villages, les gens font une fontaine la mmoire de Ion et cest une meilleure faon de lvoquer durant les annes que si on le sculpte en pierre. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, III.3e)
*** Lorsque lon cre, il faut se confondre avec lunivers, avec les lments. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.1b) Lme du sculpteur doit saccorder lme de la matire.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, II.4b) Mes douleurs sont celles qui modlent mon me et mon cur. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.15c) Il faut que la vie individuelle soit rsorbe dans la pense universelle pour que la beaut dune uvre devienne sensible tout le monde.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.14d)
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*** La simplicit nest pas un but dans lart, mais on sapproche de la simplicit en sapprochant du sens rel des choses. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, II.3b) Il y a deux simplicits ; lune est sur de lignorance et lautre de lintelligence. La sur de lintelligence est la complexit elle-mme ; la sur de lignorance est la btise elle-mme.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, II.3f)
*** Je pleure il fait tellement beau dans mon me, mon cur se dchire, personne autour de moi personne !* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.63a) Si vous aviez entendu mon violon tout lheure, vous aurez compris la dtresse de mon me.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.76a) Je crois que les souffrances fortifient lhomme et sont plus ncessaires que tout plaisir pour modeler un caractre. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.15d)
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Dans mon cur il ny a pas eu de place pour lenvie ou la haine, mais seulement pour la joie quon peut trouver nimporte o, nimporte quand. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.28b) Le plus grand bonheur, cest le contact entre notre essence et lessence ternelle.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.21a)
*** Mon rve a toujours t de vagabonder en chantant et de disparatre comme un ade, en rpandant la joie.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.78a) Comme enfant jai toujours rv que je volais dans les arbres et dans le ciel. Jai gard la nostalgie de ce rve et depuis quarante-cinq ans je fais des oiseaux.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.78b) Je nai cherch pendant toute ma vie que lessence du vol. Le vol, quel bonheur !* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.80a) prsent je ne rve plus et a va mal.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.78c)
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*** Il ne faut pas respecter mes sculptures. Il faut les aimer et avoir envie de jouer avec elles.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IV.1b) Une sculpture bien faite doit avoir le don de gurir celui qui la regarde.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.15a) Il ne suffit pas quune sculpture soit bien faite elle doit tre agrable au toucher et facile vivre auprs delle. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.15b) La colonne sans fin cest comme une chanson ternelle qui nous emmne dans linfini au del de toute douleur et joie factice.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IV.4a) Ma colonne ne peut avoir un socle ou un chapiteau, comme les colonnes antiques : elle na pas de commencement ni de fin. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IV.4i) La Maiastra est lincarnation du plus profond dor dans un esprit voyageur. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IV.9a) Mes oiseaux sont une srie dobjets diffrents sur une recherche centrale qui reste la mme.
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Lidal de la ralisation de cet objet devait tre un agrandissement pour remplir la vote du ciel.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IV.12c) Ce nest pas loiseau que je veux exprimer, mais le don, lenvol, llan.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IV.12d)
*** Qui ne sort pas de son Moi, natteint pas labsolu et ne dchiffre pas la vie. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.74m) Pour raliser, il ne faut pas ne pas tre soimme, mais se dtruire. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.1b) Quand je travaille, cest comme si un Absolu sexprime travers moi, je ne compte plus comme personne, lindividu na pas dimportance. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.1c) On ne peut arriver aux choses vraies sans renoncer au Moi.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.18a)
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Il y a un but dans toutes les choses. Pour y arriver il faut se dgager de soi-mme.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.58a) Mes deux derniers oiseaux, le noir et le blanc, sont ceux ou je me suis approch le plus de la mesure juste et je me suis approch de cette mesure au fur et mesure que jai pu me dbarasser de moi-mme.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, IV.12c) Je ne suis plus de ce monde, je suis loin de moimme, plus attach ma personne. Je suis chez les choses essentielles.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, VII.1m)
*** En creusant sans trve des fontaines intrieures, jai dcouvert la source de la vie ternelle et de la jeunesse perptuelle. Lart est ainsi : jeunesse tout jamais et vie ternelle. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.2h) Lart est mystre et foi, ce nest pas une formule. Lorsquil suit une thorie il est faux. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.5i)
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Lart nest ni moderne ni ancien, cest simplement de lart. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.6e) Lart ne devrait tre que joie. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.9d) Pour faire dart libre et universel, il faut tre Dieu pour crer, Roi pour commander et esclave pour excuter.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.5c)
*** Les hommes ressemblent aux diamants des mines. Pour se mettre en valeur, ils doivent se frotter la vie, tels les diamants bruts quon frotte pour les faire briller. (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, XII.43g) Un oiseau est entr un beau jour dans mon atelier. Il voulut en sortir, mais ne trouva plus son chemin et se cogna, dsempar, aux murs et aux vitres du vasistas. Un autre oiseau entra dans mon atelier, se reposa quelques instants sur un socle, puis senvola, trouvant aisment la route qui mne au ciel. Avec les artistes cest pareil.* (Ainsi parlait Brancusi, I.11h)
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Sorana Georgescu-Gorjan, Aa grit-a Brncui / Ainsi parlait Brancusi / Thus spoke Brancusi, Editura Scrisul Romnesc, Craiova, 2012. N.B. Les textes marques dun astrisque reprsentent la forme primaire des penses formules en franais par Constantin Brancusi; les autres textes sont des traductions en franais des penses de lartiste formules en roumain ou publies en anglais.
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TEMOIGNAGES
Concernant Brancusi
Son uvre, en mme temps lmentaire et subtile, est lexpression dune pense artistique (et par la philosophique) infiniment lucide, labore, profonde. Son art est lexpression dune vision cratrice, trs intellectualise. [...] Brancusi tait bien plus fort que tous les docteurs. Ctait le connaisseur le plus averti des problmes de lart. Il avait assimil toute lhistoire de la sculpture, lavait domine, dpasse, rejete, retrouve, purifie, reinvente. Il en avait dgag lessence. [] Bien surprenantes, incroyables ces synthses: folklore sans pittoresque, ralit anti-raliste; figures au-del du figuratif; science et mystre; dynamisme dans la ptrification; ide devenue concrte, faite matire, essence visible; intuition originale, pardel la culture, lacadmie, les muses. Eugne Ionesco, Notes et Contre-notes, Gallimard, Paris, 1962.
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Frquenter Brancusi, ce ntait pas seulement rencontrer un grand artiste, dont les aphorismes clairaient souvent, dun trait fulgurant, les intentions ou la naissance des uvres; ctait approcher un sage, ddaigneux du sermon, qui voquait avec un sens plastique tonnant et une clairvoyance amuse, le sens ou labsurdit de la Vie. [mai 1933] Sa province natale, la Valachie carpathique, dont son uvre avait depuis longtemps franchi les limites, demeurait, en dpit de toute universalit, un ferment actif dans sa vie, tout comme lIrlande de Joyce. Parmi les sculpteurs de son temps, ans ou cadets, on nen trouve qui porte aussi vive en soi la substance de son pays. [...] Chose singulirement mouvante: dans les derniers mois de sa vie, Brancusi avait dsir un grand globe terrestre clair du dedans, et lavait fait suspendre au-dessus de sa couche, porte de sa main, comme si, au moment dachever son existence, il avait voulu rester en contact avec la plante entire. [7 dcembre 1956] Carola Giedion-Welcker, Constantin Brancusi, ditions du Griffon, Neuchtel, Suisse, 1959, (traduit par Andr Tanner).
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Concernant Titulesco
Ti-tu-les-co ! Les quatre syllabes de son nom sonore ont empli lhistoire diplomatique de laprs guerre. Il a t lun des grands hommes de la Roumanie, lun des grands hommes de la Petite Entente, lun des grands hommes de Genve et, pour tout dire, lun des grands hommes de lEurope. [] Il a t le plus brillant, le plus dynamique de ceux qui ont voulu construire une Europe nouvelle, base sur lgalit des puissances et sur le respect des traits. Quand les nuages sont monts lhorizon, il a t lun des premiers comprendre, et le premier peut-tre vouloir lever une digue contre linondation qui sannonait. Raymond Cartier, Quatre rponses de M. Titulesco, Lpoque, 6 Juin 1939.
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Beaucoup de temps passera, mon avis, jusqu ce que son souvenir sefface dans la mmoire du peuple roumain, car le moment viendra o la Roumanie se lvera et quelle aura besoin de toute laide que pourraient lui offrir ses fils. Et alors, ceux dentre nous qui nauront pas oubli ce que Titulesco a fait, pens ou essay de faire le glorifieront comme lun des hommes politique les plus grands de la Roumanie. Wickham Steed, Nicolae Titulescu Late Romanian Ambassador to Britain, New Times and Ethiopia News, 18 Juliet 1942 (traduit par Brndua Prelipceanu)
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Brancusi Titulescu: two giants of Romanian spirit
BRANCUSI TITULESCU
Soul mates
English
SOUL MATES
Brancusi and Titulescu, both born in Oltenia, have overlapped two centuries to take the Romanian genius-like spirit to the world. They chose different paths to do it. Brancusi turned stones into flight. Titulescu turned words into ideas. They dashed to pieces the iconostasis of the age, in order to usher in new horizons for their contemporaries and their descendants. They both claimed to be the offspring of free thought and daring gesture. They both shone like morning stars on the canopy of the twentieth century. They set their unmistakable seal on the world, to be found everywhere. They lived and suffered, thought and created, built and meditated, as men of their day. They were never ashamed of being Romanian. They bore their countrys colours in their heart. They brought Romania to Europe and Europe to Romania. They were Romanian and European alike. Brancusi and Titulescu were honour guests whenever humanity was concerned.
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They left mankind a heritage which is found to be even richer than the gift of a well achieved oeuvre. They had an appointment with eternity more than fifty years ago, but they are still our contemporaries. The names of Brancusi and Titulescu will be recorded on the map of the spirituality of the 20th century more often than can be imagined now, since on the heaven of Hope they embody the aspiration to the triumph of Truth and Good. From beyond, these two great Creators warn us that we are responsible for every moment of humaneness and peace. The meditations of these two wise men urge us to discover the Beauty within us, to protect and generously impart it. Readers will find here three different samples of their thoughts the transcription of a dialogue of the two Titans and records of their individual messages, by means of a political speech or of philosophical meditations. Brancusi and Titulescu served the humaneness of mankind and showed us the measure of mans daring, of his capacity to courageously and successfully defy Time. Soul mates is not only a metaphor. Beyond the match of words, though they met only once, those two persons were permanently together at the Last Supper of Romanias destiny.
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In a virtually new Sistine chapel, Brancusi and Titulescu, two high priests of the 20th century, will find a heavenly stairway to lead them to Truth, Humaneness and Beauty. Brancusi and Titulescu summon us close to the gods, to share the miracle of the celestial areas, where forms and words freely spread, like pearls from a broken necklace. George G. Potra
Translated by Sorana Georgescu-Gorjan
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BRANCUSI TITULESCU The two giants strolled slowly away, arm in arm Constantin Brancusi1, Nicolae Titulescu2. Two native sons of Oltenia3. They carried on their shoulders all the gold of Romania, more valuable than any currency all around the world. I was lucky to be around when the two of them met, a really historic encounter. Titulescu used to come to Paris quite frequently. As a mere Envoy of his country to London4 he was in fact the perpetual Foreign Minister of Romania. This superlative legal expert, superb public speaker and star diplomat, a man who could rightly claim a place in the political history of his time, a man of vast culture and brilliant wit, biting and seductive at the same time, a man of
1
Constantin Brancusi (18761957). Romanian sculptor, an emblematic figure of the 20th century, member post mortem of the Romanian Academy (1990). 2 Nicolae Titulescu (18821941). Romanian statesman and diplomat. Famous personality of the international political life of the first half of the 20 th century. Member of the Romanian Academy (1935). 3 Province in South-West Romania. 4 He was Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Romania to Britain (16 December 19216 July 1927; 31 July 192820 October 1932). 129
clear and orderly thinking with a faultless and profound understanding of all intellectual subtleties had an Achilles heel of his own: the arts. It so happened that the mystery of Brancusis art was for quite a while a puzzling, nagging question for him. I was a witness when Titulescu himself first expressed his predicament. In 1926, I was Octavian Gogas5 private secretary. In May, Titulescu came back to Romania. He and Goga were very good friends. They enjoyed each others company. So they had lunch, just the two of them, in a private room at The Capsha restaurant. For about three hours, they talked and talked about politics, both domestic and external. At about four, as agreed, I showed up to escort Goga to Parliament6. The two big boys finished up with a refreshing grapefruit and orange juice. The final part of their conversation was more easy-going, more relaxed. We lingered over filter coffee. At a certain moment, Titulescu spoke highly of the European success of luminaries such as
Octavian Goga (18811938). Romanian poet and politician, Prime Minister 193738. 6 He had been an MP since 1919. 130
Enescu7, Gogu Georgescu8, Traian 9 Grozavescu . He was proud to describe the ovations they had received. Goga, with a sly twinkle, Good, good! But have you forgotten Brancusi? Not at all. That one annoys and irritates me, Goga. You dont say! Did you have a fight? God forbid! The thing is he confronted me with a difficult question. He makes me feel uncomfortable. Perfect! It means hes made a strong impression on you. No mistake about that. He will be the greatest sculptor of this time. He is huge! Easy for you to talk, with your exceptional gift at gauging visual arts. I am not so good at that. But I cannot bear to see that something remains obscure to me. Well, I have been unable to read through Brancusi. Honest! I sense something unusually big in his sculpture but I have been unable to understand his idiom.
7
George Enescu (18811955). Romanian composer, violinist, pianist and conductor. 8 George Georgescu (18871964). Romanian conductor, Director of the Bucharest Opera House and Philharmonic (from 1920), correspondent member of the Romanian Academy (1963). 9 Traian Grozavescu (18951927). Romanian opera singer, tenor. 131
You can see how stupid one feels to read a celebrated book with admiration and then find it impossible to tell what it was about! Thats how I feel toward Brancusi. And when I have to face the Western opinion who sings his praises, I, doubly his countryman, have to play the parrot. This is intolerable! I shall have to resolve this puzzle: to learn the vocabulary of his art, to realize what he actually wants, to understand the road that he had travelled, to be able to talk about him in my own words! Therefore, being the diligent and meticulous person that he was, Titulescu proceeded to resolve the puzzle of Brancusi. I was there at the first lesson. In the spring of 1928, Titulescu crossed the English Channel to stay, as usual, at The Chatham Hotel in Paris. I had a friend, an attach at the Romanian Legation, a pleasant (and strikingly handsome) young fellow, Sandu Stanescu10. He was a native of Oltenia as well. He called one morning. Come over to the Embassy, Russu! The Chief (as Titulescu was known to the staff) had decided to send us to Brancusi in order to persuade him, by all means, to be Titulescus guest for a luncheon the next day. (Since Stanescu also hailed from Oltenia, from
10
Alexandru Stanescu (18901952), Romanian lawyer and diplomat. 132
Brancusis own county to be more precise, the young diplomat was in the artists favour.) We rang the door at Impasse Ronsin. We were lucky. Brancusi greeted us with a smile. He sized up our heads with his eyes (as if choosing a melon) and said, Ill be there. * The next two or three hours were fascinating for me. There were four of us sitting in bamboo armchairs around a large, round table in the spacious and famous Henri IV pavilion of Saint-Germain. It was a glorious day, like a vaporous ballroom dress sheathing the lithe body of Springtime. Far below, one could see the shimmering green meanders of The Seine. And in a distance, like a mirage of golden dust, the amazing vista of the wonderful city of Paris opened to view. The food was exquisite (chosen by Titulescu himself). The Great Romanian of Europe, as brilliant as ever, engaged us in enjoyable conversation on a variety of subjects. Brancusi was especially amused by Titulescus witty account of anecdotes about the high and mighty political elites of the world. Over cognac and coffee, there was a moment of silence. All of a sudden, Titulescus smile
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vanished, his voice became measured and earnest. Look, Master Manole11, he said to Brancusi. I have a big request to make. Brancusi, with a devilish twinkle: Im all ears. I want you to give me a lesson. In diplomacy? No, about Brancusi. Dont talk to me in diplomatic riddles, Minister! Come to the point. Then Titulescu (who was always prepared to be a dutiful, attentive student and to learn from anyone) explained to Brancusi in simple and clear terms how perplexed he was about the mystery of Brancusi. He stressed his imperative need to understand, to make sense of the artists work in order to be able to comment on it as best he could. You know, Titulescu concluded, When you have to socialize with so many people as I do, it feels silly to play the parrot. Brancusi seemed amused at the suggestion. He gave a cunning smile: I see. You dont know what to say about me. But Titulescu was not smiling. He answered in a straightforward and serious tone: Exactly. I want to know. And I want to learn in
11
Character in a Romanian folk ballad about the accomplishment of a work of art through sacrifice. 134
order to know. Please, help me out. After all, we are both Romanians from Oltenia, arent we? At that point the master of the Magic Birds also became quite serious. He straightened up, raised his head, looked earnestly at Titulescu and said with a vibrant feeling thinly disguised in his blank voice: Yes, we are Romanians from Oltenia. Both of us. For a short while, he fell silent. Then he leaned over to Titulescu: So, what do you want to know? Everything. Everything? Thats a pretty tall order. Lets call it a limited everything, Titulescu conceded. Look, Brancusi, I cannot accept the notion that there is an authentic truth which does not lend itself to a clear presentation and understanding by any normal mind. Does it make sense? Of course. Well then, there is a truth of Brancusi. I didnt say a mystery. A truth! It is this truth that I want to know. I am not a great connaisseur of the arts. Still, I think I am capable of understanding this truth of Brancusi if it is clearly revealed to me. I have read and heard countless ratiocinations, suppositions or verdicts. Yet I am not clear in my mind. What are you: an avant-gardist, a Dadaist, a cubist, a surrealist, a baroque, an abstractionist? What is your new art about? How have you got to your
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way of doing sculpture? What do you want to say to the world? This is what I want to know. And I want to know it from you, Master Manole. From you alone. I want to admire you not groping in the dark but with my eyes wide open. (There was so much passion in the words and demeanour of the great orator that I saw how impressed Brancusi was, for once.) For a few moments he kept silent, mulling over his thoughts, his eyes riveted on Titulescu. That look was unusual for him. It betrayed a strong emotion. He concealed it quickly behind an elder-uncle, benevolent smile. Ive heard people say that, from the primary school on to the summits of doctoral degrees, you always got top marks. Titulescu made a vague gesture. So Im not going to let you fail on the subject of Brancusi. You see, it always happens that, whenever something new emerges in art, people want it to be sensational and constantly look for sophisticated, highbrow terms. I am neither a surrealist, a cubist or a baroque character, nor anything else of the kind. The new things that I come up with actually hark back to something that is very old. It was in such a quiet, easy-going manner that Brancusi started his long monologue. Then, step by step, he developed his thought. For a brief spell, I was greatly surprised. Neither I nor
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so many other people I talked to about him had ever heard the author of the Endless Column speak more than a few words about himself, dropped here and there on various occasions. How should Titulescu have made such an impression on him to force him out of his shell, to induce him to make such a comprehensive profession of faith? I realized that the mere fact that the Romanian of Europe also came down from Oltenia did not provide a satisfactory explanation. I was also positive that Brancusi was not inclined to please a person in high office. He was above such petty subservience. Quite the opposite. Many months later, on a fine day of loitering about fairs and dances in poor neighbourhoods, I plucked the courage to ask Brancusi why he had bestowed the gift of his confession on Titulescu. I remember that he stopped, gave me a long look and said in a serious tone of voice: He deserved it better than anyone else. I wanted to please him, even to do him a favour. I read the papers only once in a while, but I was told by many people, British, American, French that Titulescu is a first-class talent and now the greatest champion of peace. He has done and is still doing a lot for peace. Do you understand, young man?
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(I understood as I remembered how deeply Brancusi hated the idea of war. It was not just a conceptual thing with moral and social overtones. It also had to do with his temperament. He would go into a rage just at a simple mention of the word war.) * Yes, for the hour that followed, Brancusi spun out his tale. Unique! At least for me it was unique. Like a nuclear reaction of artistic emotion. Back at the Legation, I jotted down a brief account of what Brancusi had said in my logbook where I kept notes on appointments and conversations. As I recall his sentences, crisp and loaded with meaning, I cannot claim, naturally, that I am reproducing them with an accuracy of one hundred percent. But I declare that there is no risk of my distorting what he said. I am using his particular manner of speaking, as close to the truth as I can because by using my own words I might be more precise but certainly drier and less colourful. * I have been, Brancusi went on, above everything else, a peasant. I am still a peasant
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today (He looked splendid saying this, a sparkle in his eye and his beard in an uprising.) The peasant? The Romanian? You know him. One would play tunes using a green leaf, another one using a shepherds pipe. One would cook the clay and paint the pottery I used to carve wood. From early childhood I had a calling for wood and knife. Then came stone and chisel. Copper and hammer. It looks as if they had something to tell me. I listened to them. And so Ive got to have something to say using their voice. Ive learned their language. For many years, until I mastered the skill well enough. I became a sculptor. For a long time, I also followed the trodden path. I did sculpture, as it were. (With a touch of irony.) It would not be right for me to disavow that period of my life. I worked with dedication and enthusiasm. Some pieces childrens heads, The Muse, The Prayer, a few portraits I liked. Among them there were, maybe, some pieces that were not worse than those of colleagues with a wellestablished reputation. (He ended the story of that early period by slowly sipping from his glass of vintage Pommard.) Until one day, when I didnt like what I was doing any longer. Not at all. Titulescus question was slow in coming, as if asking for a confirmation: You didnt like what you were doing?
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I didnt. That was important. Because the pleasure an artist takes in his work is at the heart of his art. Without heart there is no art. The first condition is to enjoy it yourself, to fall in love deeply with what you do. This makes you happy. And by feeling happy you give happiness to people. When I got clear in my mind that I did not like what I was doing, the question naturally came up: Why dont I like it any longer? Just a few words. It took me years to answer my own question and to step on my true path. I used to look for hours at other sculptors work, those that showed sure talent, and then at my own. What bothered me? They were beautifully carved, nicely chiseled, well polished, the details were meticulously rendered, no quarrel about that. Yes, but they were not alive. Those were like ghosts. Frozen! I want to give life, motion, swing, joy. I was increasingly annoyed by an impression of crypt, of something funereal that those sculptures gave me. Slowly, little by little, the path opened up by itself (Titulescu stealthily stretched out his hand to reach for a piece of cardboard with the words Table reserved on it and produced a gold pen from his vest. Like a conscientious student, the Great European was taking notes. The moment acquired an air of solemnity.) In a subdued voice, Titulescu repeated Brancusis words as a question: It opened up
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by itself? Arent you being too modest? The next instant, the Master retorted almost harshly: No, I am not modest. I hate hypocrisy. Yes, the path opened up by itself, from judgment to judgment, from trial to trial. When I was only a boy and used to roam about a river bank or in a forest, I believed that everything, a living creature or an object, had a soul. That is my faith even now. So at the crossroads of my lifes work I told myself: this is the soul that I have to give back to the subject. Because the soul will always be alive. Or, if you wish, the idea of the subject. That one never dies in the person who beholds a work of art. On the contrary, it grows in him, as life does from life. He was silent for a few moments I didnt realize why and seemed to look beyond the rest of us. Then, quietly, he resumed the thread of his story.) This thought naturally leads you to the conclusion that it is not the detail that shapes ones work but rather whatever is of the essence. I worked a lot to find out how I could smooth the way toward finding the key form for every subject which should forcefully epitomize the idea of that subject. Of course, this steered me toward non-figurative art. It was a result. I never proposed to conceive a new art, to stun the world with an odd freak. Relying on my inmost desire and pleasure, I made a simple
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judgment, as you can see, and I ended up with something equally simple, terribly simple. It is a synthesis suggesting what I want to give back. So I strived for many years to learn how to get out from wood, bronze, marble that hidden diamond, the essential, just as the miners do when they get it from the bowels of the earth. (His words faded away. Brancusi took another sip from the glass that I had taken care to refill.) Titulescu was obviously following very closely what The Master meant to say. Gently rocking in his chair, he spoke. Yes, it is so clear and simple (Then smiling) like a syllogism. But tell me, if I am not abusing your patience, how does this clear artistic conclusion translate into practical terms? It was Brancusis turn to smile: As simply as it sounds. How can I tell you? Are you good at drawing? Not at all. Zero. Then lets use logic again. (Loughing) You seem to have some talent for this. Have you seen any of my Birds? Just seen? I think I looked at two of them for about an hour. Yeah, a lot of people liked them. Moreover, my intentions were correctly grasped. In a direct, intuitive way. Practically, what did I do? I threw away the wings and the beak, the claws and the comb, the eyes and the
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legs Titulescu, with a little smile: So that nothing was left of the bird. Nothing of what is trite. But the whole essence of the bird, its idea, its soul is there: a few lines, a certain angle, curves that render the unstoppable surge into the air. The idea of a bird: flight! I was looking at Titulescu at that moment. He was all attention. I see, Master Manole, he said.From Aristotle to Boethius12 all the way to Lalande13 nobody could deny the perfection of your syllogisms. But why should you go to such extremes in a nuclear condensation seeking in your sculptures to embrace and contain everything? Brancusi gave Titulescu an arrow-like glance. There you are! So you wanted to play the modesty game? Well, you were not too far away from the truth. Why? Because I have searched, and I am still searching, and shall always be in search of the key shapes that convey the truth of what is essential. My Rooster is not a rooster. My Bird is not a bird.
12
Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480524 A.D.). Roman statesman and philosopher. 13 Joseph-Jerome Lefrancois de Lalande (17321807). French astronomer. Roger Lalande (18931975). French director and opera stage designer. 143
They are symbols. So I am searching out of love for what is natural, for the primary, direct, unadulterated beauty. For eternity! I wish to raise everything beyond the confines of the Earth. I want my bird to fill the air, to express the ultimate liberation. Titulescu shifted his weight in the bamboo armchair, moving closer to Brancusi who had stopped talking. Therefore, you seek to achieve some kind of a spiritual quality of the matter Brancusi also drew closer. His answer was terse. Not some kind of. Straight on! Yes, I want to uncover the spirit of the matter, to find out the soul of things. I want matter to live on according to its own laws. It knows better where the truth is hidden, better than we do. Titulescu lowered his voice, as if speaking to himself. It sounds like a message sent through speechless things, an aspiration to touch the universal. Brancusi suddenly relaxed, chuckled and patted Titulescu on the shoulder. Come on! You are a naughty pupil, Minister! You read that lesson before. Now you want to impress us. But Titulescu was no longer smiling. His response was almost stern. No, Master. I am absolutely frank with
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you. I was not joking. I was rejoicing. Brancusi was also quick to change his tone. Did you think I was joking? I was not. I am rejoicing, too Yes, I am. This is what I have been searching for: a way to touch the universal. That is the reason why my speechless shapes are not to be found in any zoological atlas. That is also why the creatures that I have shaped, even though some of them may have a name I cant assign any civil status to them. I have been looking for the essential, the profound character of things. The idea of their persona must be a symbol of purity, grace, mystery, unrest, surge. I deeply believe that, if I am able to snatch from matter its inner truth, its spirit and to encompass it within a key idea expressed in wood, marble or bronze, I may have found the way to reach out to the mind and sensitivity of those who look at my sculptures. Then they will add their own countless impressions and creative suggestions coming from their restless spirit, now awakened to the perception of beauty. And they will work with me, they will fraternize with me in those moments. They will enrich my work He then ceased talking. He didnt even look at us. A long silence ensued. After a while, Titulescu left his chair and came over to Brancusi who had also stood up. Titulescu was not his usual self. He seemed to have shrunk a little.
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Yes. Wonderful, Master Manole! They embraced each other warmly. Youve been calling me Manole. But that fellow buried his beloved in stone. He worked with the most terrible pain. I am working with joy, Minister! Titulescu took his arm. Shall we take a stroll in the woods? Why not? We stepped into the magnificent tunnel of leafage that exuded a bitter fragrance. The humid breath of spring was dizzying. The two giants strolled slowly away, arm in arm. The ancient trees that had seen the times of many kings by the name of Louis bowed in reverence. Vintil Russu-Sirianu, Brancusi-Titulescu, in Gazeta Literar, XIV, No. 41, 12 October 1967. Translated by Sergiu Celac
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THE HEART OF ROMANIA14
Dear Fellow-Citizens, It is almost a year since, all of a sudden, unexpectedly, tragically, Romania has been confronted with the moment at which she had to judge all the efforts of her gloomy and unfavourable past, all the promises of her bright and lofty future: the supreme moment we have all contemplated in our dreams of glory, the moment which the generations called upon to live it did not dare hope it might ever come true. What has happened then, how has a sinful act been prevented, namely, the monstrous and absurd sin to have our blood shed in defence of our enemies frontiers, of those very frontiers that have choked us for centuries on end, of those very frontiers which are like deep and painful slashes in the nations live body, of those frontiers, which, if we dont succeed to have them swept away15, would keep us fettered within the walls of a jail, under whose shadows life withers away and dies; and, we know it
14
Speech made by Nicolae Titulescu, in Romanian, at the National Meeting held in Ploieti on May 3, 1915 15 Austria and Hungary concluded, on February 17, 1867, the Agreement on the creation of the Dual Monarchy or the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, under which Transylvania remained incorporated into Hungary and had its autonomy annulled. 147
quite well , what really happened then! The way we were prevented to turn into miserable and petty, wronged and undignified, oppressed and yet despised wretches goes to the credit and eternal glory of those who had the mission to accomplish this deed! The nations instinct, through its chosen people, spoke in good time!16 Instinct cannot stop here, it cannot fall asleep, after having woken up the soul! And the Romanian soul, tormented by historical memories, tormented by its grand destiny looming at the horizon to the end of time, tormented in its turn by the force of the moment lived by the Romanian soul, more awake and loftier than ever, orders immediate action! The question facing Romania today, may be appalling, but is quite simple: either does Romania understand the duty imposed upon her by developments and, in this case, her history is just beginning and her victory will be a prolongued and splendid revenge for all humiliations suffered for centuries on end; or,
16
The Crown Council gathered at Sinaia, on August 3, 1914, which was attended, in addition to Cabinet members, by politicians representing the Opposition, rejected the demand of King Carol I (backed by P.P. Carp) regarding Romanias joining the war alongside the Central Powers and decided that a policy of armed neutrality be followed. 148
looking myopically at everything meaning tomorrow, with her eyes wide open at everything meaning today, Romania does not understand it and stay still, dumfounded as she is, and, in this case, history will record for ever and ever the unique and miserable example of a lived suicide! But, under present circumstances, Romania must come out complete and great! Romania cannot be complete without Transylvania; Romania cannot be great without sacrifice! Transylvania is the cradle that nestles her childhood, it is the school that brought up her nation, it is the charm that supported her life. Transylvania is the spark that kindles her energy, the maiming that asks for revenge, the treachery that demands retribution, the choke that calls for liberty! Transylvania is Romanianism in distress, is the strength that rebukes the enemy, is life that calls for life! We need Transylvania! We cannot do without it! We will know how to take it and, particularly, how to deserve it! For Transylvania there is no life gladly waning away; for Transylvania any efforts are made unconstrainedly; for Transylvania everything changes, everything is embellished, even death looks different: it is not hideous any more, it becomes appealing! Transylvania is not only the heart of political Romania; take a look at the map:
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Transylvania is the heart of geographical Romania! It is from its heights that spring the waters that have bathed Romanianism all along history: to the North the Some, to the West the Mure, to the South the Olt! All along the Carpathians, Romania stretches today like the military zone of a natural fortress, fallen in alien hands! He who does not feel his body cut down at his waist when looking at Transylvania is not Romanian, he is an alien seed settled in Romania at a time when it was gone with the winds! We need Transylvania, but we cannot need it without sacrifice! Flesh and flesh cannot be stuck together without bloodshed! Transylvania cannot be taken by means of neutrality! Neutrality was justified once, but it is dead and gone! It was justified because our neutrality was not calculated, was not prompted by fear. Our neutrality was in the beginning the wall erected against those who tried to goad us to commit a crime against our own kin and against which their heraldic vision broke into pieces: the Romanian Eagle carrying in its beak the Crown of Sf. Stephen; neutrality became then the shelter where we could prepare ourselves and wait for the Day; neutrality is today the cobweb the most innocent breeze can
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scatter to the winds! Romania cannot prolong neutrality beyond the limits of her own needs and, chiefly, beyond the limits of her dignity. A state can stay neutral only when it has nothing to ask for; a state cannot stay neutral when it has its own claims to assert, particularly when it had already expressed them! It would mean that this state is either unable to win over its claimed belongings, which is painfully humiliating, or that it gave up at its own will its ideal, which is insanely absurd! It is impossible for something conceived by the Romanian mind, felt by the Romanian heart not to be accomplished by Romanian energies. But nothing weakens energies more than waiting in expectation, nothing wears them away more than idle use, but, nothing fuels them better, up to paroxysm, than the awareness that they are strong and worthy of consideration! Or, this consideration is what Romanianism actually needs more than ever before, nay, it is what it needs above all! Today, when the most civilized states have accepted this abominable massacre, this devastation having no like or equal, not in order to annihilate a nation, but to destroy a concept, not in order to enthrone a domination, but to inaugurate a policy, obviously, nobody would
151
be able to enjoy the fruit of the new state of affairs if he has not proved by his valour and by his own heart that he is worthy of them! Without bleeding and great sacrifice, without brotherhood at arms and without pain, no landmark will move an inch away! Without the trust of those people who fought before us, without their firm belief that we have a deep sense of justice and duty, without sincere love of freedom, not only ours, but everybodys freedom, without a sustained elevation of the soul, our sacrifice, however great it might be, cannot bear fruit, for it lacks the very thing that engenders it: its moral worth! Therefore, I think, our leaders will not forget for a moment that they represent today more than Romanian ingenuity, that they embody today the lofty moral concept of Romanianism as a civilizing force! And, maybe, it would be asserted more easily by attitude rather than by argument, by a deed of heroism than by protracted negotiations. Either will Romanianism prove a first-rank civilizing force and, as such, it will come out triumphant, or will Romanianism prove a mere mark of coward and greedy selfishness and, as such, it will be doomed to die, like everything else which will die after this war if not supported by justice and sacrifice!
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But how can I say that? Can Romanianism ever die? Are we not, all of us, ready for sacrifice? Are we not, all of us, revolted against injustice, disgusted by oppression? Do our forefathers not sleep in our own blood, awaiting to be woken up in glory? No, Romanianism cannot die after this war; doomed to perish are only those who proved unworthy of it! Nicolae Titulescu, Inima Romniei, in Pledoarii pentru pace, Editura Enciclopedic, Bucureti, 1996. Translated by Delia Rzdolescu
153
BRANCUSIS CONFESSIONS
A curse upon you, wanderlust, / Where have you driven me! / Why didnt you leave me at home?! / To be someone in the village, / To have my own supper / And a soft bed to rest. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.13c) The scourge of Fate makes me part from you / I am going in the world to look for my fortune / And if I ever find it / I will come back again to tell you everything. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.61a) If such is the world / and I dont understand its way / why does the wanderlust push me / and I start climbing up again and again? (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.13b) Wake up, man / take the good road / fight the sloth and laziness which stops you / Like an eagle soar to cloudless spheres / Praise the gift of the world. Forget yourself! (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.7a) Fir-tree for wedding, / Fir tree for death! / As you realize / All is one / One is all. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.35a)
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The plough doesnt care that it is throwing clods over dry leaves, when behind it wheat will grow, which is going to feed people. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IX.d) I love the circle, because it is rolling / And I love the square, because it does not move. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.5a)
*** We think the road is difficult because we dont know how to walk; we either hurry stupidly to end it in a minute, or we stay on its edge and complain, like stubborn children, looking for all kind of reasons to hide our weakness and lack of confidence in ourselves Only a few know how to walk. Those Hyperions immortal and immune, walk slowly, leaving behind them the main road. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.4e) Lord, who have descended on Earth and have brought light to the world, turn your light towards me and make me follow the true road. (Thus spoke Brancusi, X.2e) We never achieve God. But the courage to journey is important.* (Thus spoke Brancusi, X.2u)
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The hardest thing is to walk well, fully aware of who you are and the path youre on. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VI.h) The road I took has been long and hard. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.1e) You have to climb very high, to see very far. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.70a) To see far, that is one thing, to go there, that is another.* (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.73a) When one sets out upon the road to the beautiful, it becomes like that castle in a fairy tale: the closer it looks, the farther away it gets. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.13j) Life is like a spiral. We do not know in which direction the goal lies. We must travel in the direction we think is right.* (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.74h) My life has been as sad as sadness itself and as hard as hardness itself. Something always more powerful than me pushed me forward toward a nameless thing which made me fight against all the inimical miseries. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.74a, VIg)
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At the end of the road as well as beyond it, everything merges in the Godhead. (Thus spoke Brancusi, X2n)
*** By human standards, Ive lived half a century and yet Ive lived thousands of years. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.72a) Time improves human spirit and the spirit itself requires it. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII. 66a) The passage of time followed a circular movement around an eternal core, rather than the movement of a pyramid growing towards its summit. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.66b) Our father is the Sun and our mother is the Earth. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.60a) My homeland, my family it is the Earth going round the breeze blowing, the clouds drifting by, water flowing, a fire warming. Green grass parched grass mud, snow. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.44a)
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*** Spread in the country the rumour that the flag of the Olt has started being woven at the hub of the universe. I have been received at the Salon with three works. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.1c) I shant be going off to war, because the army medical board did not find me fit for duty, but I am very glad that my country is in it. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.1d) I too was sent into the wide world to make my fortune, from early childhood. I didnt uproot myself to roam to the four winds. My art took profit if it and I saved myself as a human. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.1g) I could have had money, if I had done other things. But I wanted to do sculpture and I chose to go to Paris. Mon jeu est moi. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.1h) I was fated to do what I do. I came into the world with a mission. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.3g)
159
*** I dont like to speak about me or my art. My works speak by themselves and need no explanation. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.3j) Dont look for obscure formulas or mysteries. I am giving you pure joy. Look at the sculptures until you see them. Those nearest to God have seen them. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.9a, X.2a) When one is in the sphere of the beautiful, no explanations are needed. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.13d) Art is a mirror where everybody sees what he thinks. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.2d) Works of art are mirrors in which everyone sees his own likeness. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VI.a)
*** Its the beauty that grows like a plant and develops as it was meant to. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.13f)
160
Beauty is not the grandiose beauty is absolute balance. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.13b) Beauty is the harmony of different opposite things. The more difficult it is to reconcile things, the greater the beauty. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.13c)
*** The spirituality of form, the accurate, mathematical balance, architecture, should be valued as highly as we do the materials. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.12i) You cannot make what you want to make, but what the material permits you to make. You cannot make out of marble what you would make out of wood, or out of wood what you would make out of stone.* (Thus spoke Brancusi, II.5b) One should make friends with the material, make it speak for the benefit of the good and the beautiful. (Thus spoke Brancusi, II.4c)
161
Fancy that the oak in front of you is a wise and eloquent old man. The speech of your gouge should be respectful and affectionate. This is the only way to gratify him. (Thus spoke Brancusi, II.7a)
*** Like something light thats been put on the Ocean floor, Ive had to make my way up like a blind man, not knowing why, and struggling against all currents and obstacles to reach the surface. Fortunate are they who come into the world knowing their place, and who quietly play their role and then take their leave. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IX.a) I am the wreck driven by the waves to the shore, so that those who can no longer swim come to me I shall bring them along freely. Those that wish to perish, let them perish in the mud. Light is not given to those who cannot see it. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IX.9b) March 5, 1920. Today I am cutting the towline and casting myself adrift on the vast ocean toward the unknown, with faith to steer me and if I dont veer to you Lord, it is only foolishness. (Thus spoke Brancusi, X.2b)
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With only a little change in me I could take root and grow new forms, instead of cutting them in marble.* (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.12f) In the close vicinity of big things, only small things can grow. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IX.c) Nothing grows under big trees. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IX.l)
*** Form and its balanced proportions are the great YES, through them we can get to know ourselves. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.12c) I think a true form ought to suggest infinity. The surfaces ought to look as though they proceeded out from the mass into some perfect and complete existence.* (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.12.d) With this form I could move the universe.* (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.12e)
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I never seek to make what they call a pure or abstract form. [] Fullness and volume are necessary in order to give the shock of reality.* (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.12h)
*** I would like to make my column in Central Park. It would be greater than any building, three times higher than your obelisk in Washington, with a base correspondingly wide sixty meters or more. It would be made of metal. In each pyramid there would be apartments, and people would live there, and on the very top I would have my bird a great bird poised on the tip of my infinite column.* (Thus spoke Brancusi, III.1a) For eight years now, the thing is that I am to erect a monument for the heroes, in my native village of Gorj. There are two committees which could not agree so far. (Thus spoke Brancusi, III.3b) If I am given a completely free hand, as well as sufficient time, it behooves me to immortalize the spirit of Caragiale. Do you remember how eagerly in the old days we looked forward to the publication of his articles? As for the money the project requires, I could not estimate the total
164
amount without first drawing up a preliminary design, and to do that I need a schematic diagram that shows the dimensions of the site and the surrounding buildings. (Thus spoke Brancusi, III.3c) I am sending you a sketch of the proposed Gate (). The Gate is to be located a little way inside the garden so that people may walk around it, with a stone bench at the right and left, on the shorter sides. If placed at the very edge of the walkway, as we originally decided, it would not have much use either as an enclosing component for the garden or as a visually independent entity. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IV.15a) A pure form would be more likely to enchant the eye of the onlooker and hence honor the memory of the man to whom it was erected Haret. In our villages, people build a fountain to the memory of Ion and Ion is more effectively evoked throughout the years than if his portrait had been carved in stone. (Thus spoke Brancusi, III.3e)
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*** When creating, you must merge into the universe, into the elements. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.1b) The sculptors soul must harmonize with the soul of the matter. (Thus spoke Brancusi, II.4b) My sufferings are those which mould my soul and my heart. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.15c) The individual existence should be resorbed in the universal thought, so that the beauty of a work could be obvious to everybody. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.14d)
*** Simplicity is not a goal in art, but we approach simplicity as we approach the real sense of things. (Thus spoke Brancusi, II.3b) There are two kinds of simplicity; one is the sister of ignorance, the other of intelligence. The sister of intelligence is complexity itself;
166
the sister of ignorance is at the same time stupidity itself. (Thus spoke Brancusi, II.3f)
*** I am weeping. Theres such loveliness in my soul that my heart is breaking. No one is around me. No one! (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.63a) If you had heard my violin just now, you would understand my souls distress. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.76a) I think that sufferings strengthen man and are more necessary than any pleasures in shaping a character. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.15d) In my heart there was no place for envy or hatred, but only for the joy one can find no matter where, no matter when. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.28b) The greatest happiness is the contact between our essence and the eternal essence. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.21a)
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*** Ive always dreamt of wandering about with a song on my lips and then disappearing like a Greek poet, leaving only joy in my wake. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.78a) As a child, I have always dreamt of flying to the trees and in the sky. Ive kept the nostalgia of this dream and I have been doing birds for forty-five years. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.78b) All my life I have only sought the essence of flight. Flight, what bliss! (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.80a) Now I dream no longer and this isnt well. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.78c)
*** My sculptures shouldnt be respected. They should be loved and played with. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IV.1b) A well-made sculpture should have the power to heal the beholder. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.15a)
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Sculpture must be lovely to touch, friendly to live with, not only well made. * (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.15b) The Endless Column is like a timeless song that lifts us into infinity, beyond all suffering and artificial joy. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IV.4a) My column cannot have a base or a capital like ancient columns: it has neither a beginning nor an end. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IV.4i) The Maiastra is the embodiment of the deepest dor in a travelling spirit. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IV.9a) My birds are a series of different objects in a central research which remains the same. The ideal of the realization of this object would be an enlargement to fill the vault of the sky. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IV.12c) It is not the bird I want to express, but the gift, the soaring, the upward thrust. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IV.12d)
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*** Whoever fails to transcend his Self, can neither reach the Absolute nor decipher life. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.74m) To do it, you shouldnt be yourself any longer, but destroy yourself. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.1b) When I work, it is as if an Absolute expresses itself through me, I, as a person do not count, the individual does not matter. * (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.1c) You cant get to the real things if you dont repudiate the I. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.18a) There is an aim in all things. In order to attain it, one must become detached from oneself. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.58a) My last Birds in black and white are the ones where I most approached the right measure and I approached this measure to the degree that I was able to rid myself of myself. (Thus spoke Brancusi, IV.12c)
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I am no longer in this world, I am far removed from myself, no longer attached to my person. I am among essential things. (Thus spoke Brancusi, VII.1m)
*** By constantly digging inner wells, Ive found the source of life without end and of youth everlasting. This is art youth everlasting and life without end. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.2h) Art is mystery and faith, it is not a formula. When it follows a theory, it is false. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.5i) Art is neither modern nor ancient, it is just art. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.6e) Art should be only joy. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.9d) For art to become universal and free, one must be God to create it, a king to commission it, and a slave to make it. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.5c)
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*** Humans are like the diamonds of the mines. To be shown to advantage, they have to rub against life, the same as rough diamonds, which are rubbed in order to be bright. (Thus spoke Brancusi, XII.43g) One fine day a bird flew into my studio. It wanted to get out but lost its way and beat desperately against the walls and the glass of the transom. Another bird entered my studio, alighted for a few seconds on a pedestal, then flew away, finding its way back to the sky. Its the same with artists. (Thus spoke Brancusi, I.11h) Sorana Georgescu-Gorjan, Aa grit-a Brncui / Ainsi parlait Brancusi / Thus spoke Brancusi, Editura Scrisul Romnesc, Craiova, 2012. N.B. The texts marked by an asterisk represent the primary form of Constantin Brancusis thoughts, published in English; the other texts are translations into English of the artists thoughts worded in Romanian or French.
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TESTIMONIALS
About Brancusi
His oeuvre, both elementary and subtle, is the expression of an artistical thought (hence philosophical) extremely lucid, elaborate, profound. His art is the expression of a creative vision, highly intellectualized.[...] Brancusi was much better than all doctors. He was the bestinformed connoisseur on art issues. He had assimilated the whole history of sculpture, dominated it, went beyond it, rejected it, found it again, purified it, reinvented it, and extracted its essence. [...] His syntheses are highly surprising, unbelievable: folklore deprived of picturesqueness, anti-realistic reality; figures beyond the figurative; science and mystery; dynamism within petrifaction; idea turned into concreteness, materialized, visible essence; original intuition, far beyond culture, academies, museums. Eugne Ionesco, Notes et Contre-notes, Gallimard, Paris, 1962 (translated by Sorana Georgescu-Gorjan).
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Relationship with Brancusi did not only signify contact with a great artist whose concisely brief remarks occasionally allowed one, as though in a flash, to obtain a glimpse of his artistic intentions and of the origination of his works; it also meant meeting with a man of great wisdom who indulged in neither teaching nor preaching but illumined the meaning and non-meaning of life through striking, sensual plasticity of mind and witty clairvoyance. [May, 1933]
His native district, the Carpathian region of Wallachia, which he had outgrown as a result of his all-embracing oeuvre, remained, despite the complete universality to which he had attained through his inner development as Ireland did for Joyce a constantly active source of spiritual ferment. Among the sculptors whose paths crossed his own, almost none had remained so strongly and so actively a part of his homeland. [] It was deeply moving that Brancusi, during the last months of his life, should have desired to have near him a large, lighted globe of the world, which he had hung just over his bed, within reach of his hand, as though he wanted to finish his life in contact with the entire earth. [December 7, 1956]
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Carola Giedion-Welcker, Constantin Brancusi, George Braziller, New York, 1959 (translated by Maria Jolas and Anne Leroy).
About Titulescu
Ti-tu-les-cu! The four syllables of his resounding name filled post-war diplomatic history out. He was one of Romanias great men, one of the great men of the Little Entente, one of the great men of Geneva and, to leave nothing unsaid, one of the great men of Europe. [] He was the most brilliant and the most dynamic of all people who wanted to build up a new Europe, founded on equality of powers and respect for treaties. When clouds loomed over the horizon, he was one of the first to understand and the first who wanted to raise a dam against the threatening floods. Raymond Cartier, Quatre rponses de M. Titulesco, Lpoque, 6 June 1939 (translated by Delia Rzdolescu).
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I think it will be a long time before his memory passes from the mind of the Romanian people, for the time will come when Romania will rise and will need all the help her sons can give her. And then, those of us who do not forget what Titulescu did and thought and strove for will be proud of him as one of Romanias greatest statesmen. Wickham Steed, Nicolae Titulescu Late Romanian Ambassador to Britain, New Times and Ethiopia News, 18 July 1942.
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BRNCUI TITULESCU

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Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

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Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

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Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

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Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

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Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

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Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

Brncui Titulescu: doi gigani ai spiritului romnesc

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Brancusi Titulesco: deux gants de lesprit roumain

Brancusi Titulesco: deux gants de lesprit roumain

Brancusi Titulesco: deux gants de lesprit roumain

Brancusi Titulesco: deux gants de lesprit roumain

Brancusi Titulesco: deux gants de lesprit roumain

Brancusi Titulesco: deux gants de lesprit roumain

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Brancusi Titulesco: deux gants de lesprit roumain

Brancusi Titulesco: deux gants de lesprit roumain