Symbols in Romanian Art

Constantin Brancui ( 1876, Hobia, Gorj - 1957, Paris)

Romanian Traditional Art

" Simplicity is not an objective in art,
but one achieves simplicity despite
one's self by entering into the real
meaning of things."
 Endless Column
AXIS MUNDI

(cosmic axis, world axis, world pillar,

column of infinity. center of the world, world tree)

Connection between Heaven and Earth

The center of the world
"Infinite Sacrifice"
of the Romanian soldiers

"Every Microcosm, every inhabited region, has a Centre;

that is to say, a place that is sacred above all."

Mircea Eliade

Using the proportions of the Golden Section of Pythagoras,

Brancusi devised a set of uniform specifications. Each of its
individual modules has an average height of 1.8m, the height
of an ordinary man.
The Endless Column
is considered to be the spiritual will of Constantin Brancusi.
 THE BIRD

All my life Ive been in search of the essence of flight.

Bird in Space is a
"project before being enlarged to fill the vault of the sky."

Bird in space

Maiastra

The Cock The Cock

 THE CIRCLE

The circle represents the notions of totality,

wholeness, original perfection, the Self, the
infinite, eternity, timelessness, God .
It implies an idea of movement, and
symbolizes the cycle of time, the perpetual
motion of everything that moves, the planets'
journey around the sun (the circle of the
zodiac), the great rhythm of the universe.
Beginning of the World
THE EGG

"The nuclear life force was believed to be inherent

in the egg,
anthropologist Marija Gimbutas.

The Newborn

Sleeping Muse Mademoiselle Pogany Danaide

 THE FISH

Greco-Roman mythology, symbolic meaning of

change and transformation
Christianity, symbol of abundance and faith
Pagan traditions, feminine symbol of fertility
Buddhism, symbolizes happiness and freedom
ancient Eastern Indian mythology, symbol of
transformation and creation
China, the fish is symbolic for unity and fidelity

Fish - Constantin Brancusi

Less an image of a fish than an embodiment of the

idea of one, Fish conjures the animal's liquid course by
simplifying details into smooth streamline.
("Simplicity," Brancusi : we usually arrive at simplicity
as we approach the true sense of things.")
 THE GATE

Gates are symbolic entrances

into new worlds. These entrances
can be into a new life or they
might represent communication
between one world and another
world, between the living and
the dead.

The Gate of the Kiss makes the transition to another life, the
motif on the pillars stands for the eyes looking inside.

It looks like a triumphal arch, symbolizing the triumph of life

over death.
 THE KISS

The embracing couple are schematic

figures, acting as a
sign of ideal union.

The woman and man are almost

indistinguishable.

In the different versions of The Kiss,

the original block of stone from
which the figures are carved, remains
visible, encouraging concentration on
the ideals embodied by the couple.
 THE SPHIRAL

Most theorists, including M.Eliade, agree that the

symbolism of the spiral is fairly complex and of
doubtful origin:
image of the evolution of the universe.
an emblem of atmospheric phenomena and of
the hurricane in particular
in ancient cultures, a spiral form was
symbolizing the breath and the spirit
primitive dances of healing and incantation
a symbol for growth
relationship between unity and multiplicity

James Joyce portrait by Constantin Brancusi I want just the flash of its spirit.
Brancusi

The Symbol of James Joyce is a set of abstract notations, some barely undulant
verticals, letters, a dot, and a hypnotic spiral whose line swells and contracts with the
turns of the brush.
 THE TABLE

We settled in the center of the courtyard a traditional TABLE, round and very low, with
round chairs one for each ancestor; then we placed on the table traditional pottery with
food and lit candles. After that, we said a prayer for the dead and kept SILENCE for some
minutes, to let the ancestors join us and enjoy the dishes

mystic ritual in Oltenia, Romania

http://www.rounite.com/
"The Table of Silence"

Some make an analogy with The

Last Supper of Leonardo da
Vinci, the monument being
composed of 12 seats (representing
the apostles) and in the middle Jesus
Christ place.
Brancusi's work was largely fueled by myths, folklore, and "primitive" cultures. These
traditional, old-world sources of inspiration formed a unique contrast to the appearance of
his works, resulting in a distinctive blend of modernity and timelessness.

SYMBOLS IN TRADITIONAL ROMANIAN ART

 AXIS MUNDI

The axis mundi is a symbol representing the center of

the world or the place where the heaven (sky) connects with the
earth.
Plants often serve as images of the axis mundi. The
image of the Cosmic Tree provides an axis symbol that unites
three planes: sky (branches), earth (trunk) and underworld
(roots)
At this point travel and correspondence is made
between higher and lower realms. Communication from lower
realms may ascend to higher ones and blessings from higher
realms may descend to lower ones and be disseminated to all. The
spot functions as the navel, the word's point of beginning.
 THE CROSS

The Christian Cross, seen as a

representation of the instrument of
the crucifixion of Jesus, is the best-
known symbol of Christianity.

The cross-shaped sign, represented in its

simplest form by a crossing of two lines
at right angles, greatly predates the
introduction of Christianity. It goes back
to a very remote period of human
civilization. It is supposed to have been
Rameti Monastery used not just for its ornamental value, but
also with religious significance.

Ancient Dacian
ALBA IULIA
UNION MUSEUM
Ethnography Department
 EASTER EGGS

The Christian symbol of the egg is related to the resurrection of Christ, but the primordial
meanings are still potted in the motifs, colors and patterns that transform these eggs in genuine
works of art.

A Romanian painted egg tells you a story. Among the many stylized motifs youll often find the
tree of life, the sun and the star, the cross, the rooster, the snake and oak leaves, waves, spirals
and much more. Each egg is unique.

Even today Romanians believe that painted eggs bring luck and protect their homes against
demons and unholy spirits. The shells of the Easter eggs are blessed, they should not be thrown
away, but sprinkled over the soil in gardens to provide for fertility and richer crops.
 FLOWER OF LIFE

This symbol represents patterns of creation emerging

from the Great Void. As expansive creation continues, so
do the interlocking rings.

This symbol is found in other cultures on the planet and

variations of it, have been used to represent equations
that define mathematics, music, religion, evolution and
medicine.

It is considered to be a symbol of sacred geometry.

Traditional objects in Union Museum , Alba-Iulia

 Mrior

Martisor is a Romanian powerful spring talisman offered on

the 1st of March, according to the old calendar considered to
be the beginning of the new year.

It is made of a red and white twisted string tied to a small,

symbolic decoration. In the past it was a silver coin
symbolizing the sun. Trough the wearing of this talisman you
became closer to the sun, thus obtaining its beauty and
happiness .

Giving this talisman to people

is an old custom, and it is
believed that the one who
wears the red and white string
will be strong and healthy for
the year to come.
 THE SUN

The Sun is carved on the pillars, doors and beams of the houses, being considered a good luck omen and a
sign of protection against evil. The most common Romanian folk custom related to the Sun is the trinket
(martisor), which is actually a symbol of the spring Sun.
The Romanian folklore is rich in solar symbols, that are often used in the ornamentation of the folk
household objects, clothes and houses. Traditional solar symbols are to be found also on painted eggs and
dances.
The Romanian princes used the image of the Sun in their coasts of arms as a sign of dignity and power.
With the Dacians everything started from the Sun.
They considered that the New Year began on the date
of the spring equinox, in March, when the Sun
regained its powers and helped Nature revive. In
March, when the Sun grew stronger, the Dacians
resumed all activities: the agricultural works, the
climbing of the sheep in the mountains for grazing,
mining and the training of the armies. The solar cult
continued in Dacia even after it was conquered by
the Romans, in the 1st century AD.

Astronomical Institute of Romanian Academy

Solar sanctuary-Sarmizegetusa Regia, Orastie
 "The House Snake"
THE SNAKE
The serpent is one of the oldest and most widespread mythological
symbols. Snakes have been associated with some of the oldest
rituals known to humankind and represent dual expression of good
and evil.
In the Bible it usually represents sin, temptation, destruction, and
Satan. Snakes can represent fertility or a creative life force, rebirth,
transformation, immortality, and healing ,
they can be guardians of houses,
mediators between the physical and
spiritual world.

Dacian Bracelet
National History Museum, Bucharest

Dacian Draco
from Trajan's Column
GLYCON
Draco (Latin) and Drakon (Greek)
National History and Archeology
mean "serpent", "dragon"
Museum, Constana
 SPIRALS

are some of the oldest geometric shapes in ancient artwork dating

back at least to the Neolithic period.
Dacian bracelet
The spiral is a symbol of change, progress and
development.

It is a sacred symbol that reminds us of our

evolving journey in life.

Cucuteni Ceramics 5000-3000 b.Ch

Romania

Ancient people could recognize that the stars

overhead spun around a central point every night,
and today we know we reside within a spiral
galaxy. The spiral can be a symbol of the universe
and our place within it.
Certain spirals such as those reflecting the golden
ratio (1: 1.618), reprezent certain mathematical
truths.
 The triangle can have a highly THE TRIANGLE
Christian meaning because God
is a trinity - Father, Son and
Holy Ghost and He is
commonly represented by a
triangle.

Point-up triangles can represent

ascension toward the spiritual
world, while the point-down
triangle can represent a descent
into the physical world.

Triangles may be used to present such

concepts as past, present, and future or spirit,
mind and body.

To the ancient Pythagoreans, the triangle

was, as the first complete polygon, the
womb of number and the essence of
stability.
photos taken in Alba-Iulia
 SYMBOLS ON A GATE

THE CROSS

THE FLOWER OF LIFE

THE TWISTED ROPE

THE SUN

THE CIRCLE

THE SNAKE

AXIS MUNDI

Romanians erect gates at the entries to homes, churches, graveyards. On these gates are incised
protective symbols, as each gateway marks a passage from an impure place to a better one.
Dictionary of Symbols
created by Romanian students coordinated by prof. Iosa Alina

The project is implemented with the financial support of European Committee.

The content is entirely the responsibility of its authors.