Catalogue of works

Monuments

Monument to Miron Costin in Iași
Unveiled on 30 September 1888
Bronze (sculpture and reliefs), sandstone (plinth designed by architects Kanen and Nicolae Gabrielescu)

The monument is dedicated to Miron Costin (1633–1691), a Moldavian chronicler and humanist writer. The sculpture was presumably inspired by a portrait housed in Teodoreni Monastery in the village of Burdujeni, now a district of Suceava. The statue depicts Miron Costin in full figure as a scholar and chronicler.

The monument was erected on the site of Costin’s former home. Prior to this, it had been on display for several days at the newly built Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest. Even before the monument was unveiled, on 12 June 1888, the remains of Miron Costin and his brother Velicico, exhumed from the family tomb in Brănișteni, were solemnly laid to rest beneath its plinth. The monument was eventually moved to its current location – in front of the Philharmonic Hall in Iași.

The initiative to build the monument came from the ‘Miron Costin’ Society, which brought together prominent figures from Romanian cultural life. King Carol I of Romania also provided significant financial support.

There are two bas-reliefs on the plinth. The first, ‘Miron Costin Reading at the Court of King Jan III Sobieski’, depicts the chronicler presenting his work *History of Moldavia and Wallachia in Polish Verse* to King John III Sobieski, to whom he dedicated it in 1684. The second, ‘The Arrest of Miron Costin’, depicts the dramatic moment of the chronicler’s capture in December 1691. His arrest culminated in his beheading on the orders of the Hospodar of Moldavia, Constantine Cantemir (1612–1693).

The monument bears an inscription documenting the initiative behind its construction, the composition of the organising committee and a list of the main donors, including metropolitans, towns, institutions and private individuals.

Dedicatory inscription:

TO MIRON COSTIN / 1633–1691 / THE GRATEFUL ROMANIAN NATION //.
(Translation: To Miron Costin 1633–1691, from a grateful Romanian nation).

Monument to Constantin A. Rosetti in Bucharest
Unveiled on 20 April 1903
Bronze

The monument to Constantin A. Rosetti (1816–1885), a politician, journalist and writer, stands in the square named after him in the centre of Bucharest. The sculpture was cast in bronze in 1902 at the School of Arts and Crafts in Bucharest and erected a year later, thanks to funds raised through a public collection.

The unveiling ceremony took place in the presence of many prominent public figures, including Prime Minister Dimitri A. Sturdza (1833–1914), the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Mihail Pherekydes (1842–1926), the Mayor of Bucharest, Constantin F. Robescu (1839–1920), and representatives of the press.

The monument depicts Rosetti seated in an armchair, in a meditative pose, holding the newspaper *Românul* – the publication of which he was the founder – in one hand and a quill in the other.

The stone plinth also features two bronze bas-reliefs commemorating two key events in Romanian history in which Rosetti played an important role: the unification of the Romanian Principalities on 24 January 1859 and the proclamation of Romanian independence on 9 May 1877.

C.A.ROSETTI / 1816–1885 / LUMINEAZĂ-TE ȘI VEI FI / VOIEȘTE ȘI VEI AVEA //.
(Translation: C. A. Rosetti. 1816–1885. Enlighten yourself, and you shall be. Desire, and you shall have).

The Vasile Alecsandri Monument in Iași
Unveiled on 15 October 1906
Bronze

Vasile Alecsandri (1821–1890) was one of the key figures of nineteenth-century Romania – a shaper of national culture, a member of the ‘Junimea’ Society, director of the theatre in Iași, a poet, playwright and collector of folklore, and at the same time an active participant in political life: a minister, diplomat and co-founder of the modern Romanian state.

The monument depicts Alecsandri in a tailcoat, standing in a pensive pose, with one hand resting against his cheek and a bundle of papers in the other. The sculpture stands in front of the theatre building on a high plinth bearing the inscription ‘VASILE ALECSANDRI’.

The decision to erect the monument was taken shortly after the writer’s death in 1890. The monument was created on the initiative of the municipal authorities and funded by public donations. A bronze plaque bearing the inscription ‘Poporul român, poetului său iubit’ (The Romanian people to their beloved poet) was placed on the rear wall of the plinth. The unveiling of the monument was a grand national ceremony, which made the statue not only a tribute to an individual but also a key element in shaping collective memory. Alecsandri’s wife and daughter attended the ceremony. The event was also commemorated by the minting of an official medal designed by Nicolae Sternberg, as well as a series of other medals.

The form of the sculpture is rooted in the academic style of monuments from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Alecsandri is depicted in a tailcoat and waistcoat, with his coat nonchalantly draped over his left shoulder. In his left hand he holds a roll of papers. His posture is dignified, and his weight is evenly distributed, creating an impression of calm and intellectual concentration rather than revolutionary fervour.

The classical form of the plinth organises the perception of the monument, whilst at the same time creating a distance between the figure and the viewer. On its front face is a simple inscription bearing his full name and the dates of his life. On the remaining sides are two bas-reliefs depicting characters from Alecsandri’s poetry – Peneș Curcanul and Juna Rodica. In this way, the monument combines a portraiture dimension with the symbolic world of his literary figures, who have entered the Romanian national imagination.

An important aspect of the monument’s impact is its relationship with the architecture. Behind the figure rises the neoclassical façade of the theatre designed by Fellner and Helmer, with a colonnaded portico and a richly carved tympanum. The statue, positioned centrally on the axis of the entrance, serves as a kind of ‘antechamber’ for the entire institution. Before the visitor enters the theatre, they encounter its patron and former artistic director.

The sculpture is characterised by formal restraint. The proportions are correct, the modelling realistic, yet devoid of excessive psychological detail and formal experimentation. This approach is typical of monumental sculpture in the public spaces of Central and Eastern Europe, where the commemorative and representational functions take precedence over purely aesthetic considerations.

The monument was created during the formation of the Romanian national canon. Alecsandri – a poet, playwright and diplomat – was placed at the very heart of the modern city, in front of the imposing theatre building, which was itself a symbol of the modernisation and Europeanisation of Iași.

From an art-historical perspective, the Alecsandri monument can be interpreted as a prime example of academic public sculpture from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: formally correct, well integrated into the urban layout of the square, and at the same time constructing – through gesture, props and the iconographic programme of the plinth – a narrative about literature, theatre and the nation. It is the sort of monument that does not dazzle with innovation, but for over a century has effectively shaped the way in which passers-by ‘see’ Alecsandri – as the embodiment of high culture.

The Vasile Alecsandri Monument in Bacău
1897
Bronze (sculpture), sandstone (plinth)

Originally, the monument stood on a carved stone plinth with inscriptions on all sides. This plinth has not survived to the present day. The sculpture is currently situated in front of the Vasile Alecsandri National College building.

The history of the monument dates back to 1893, when, on the initiative of the town’s residents, a committee was set up to oversee its construction, chaired by Gh. Răileanu. Funds were raised through a public subscription and with the support of the local community. In subsequent decades, the bust of Alecsandri was moved on several occasions, including to the school’s courtyard, and its plinth was damaged. Discussions are currently underway regarding the reconstruction of the plinth in accordance with the original design

The Dinicu Golescu Monument in Bucharest
1908
Bronze (sculpture), sandstone (plinth)

The monument to Dinicu Golescu (1777–1830) – a boyar, writer, member of the Literary Society and author of the first Romanian travelogue – ranks among the most impressive sculptural works of the early 20th century in Romania. Unveiled in 1908, it is the work of Vladimir C. Hegel, created in collaboration with Carol Storck (1854–1926) and Dimitri D. Mirea (1864–1942).

The monument is situated on the prestigious Golescu Boulevard, not far from the site where one of his residences once stood. The central figure of the sculptural ensemble is Dinicu Golescu, depicted in a standing pose. At the foot of the plinth are four bronze busts of his sons:

• Ștefan Golescu (1809–1874) – a revolutionary of 1848 and Prime Minister of Romania (1867–1868),
• Nicolae Golescu (1810–1877) – Prime Minister of Romania in 1868 and 1870,
• Alexandru C. Golescu (1819–1881), known as Arapilă – Prime Minister of Romania in 1870,
• Radu Golescu (1814–1882) – an officer in the Romanian army.

Dinicu Golescu, in addition to his political and public activities, was a pioneer of modern Romanian journalism and education. In 1826, he founded the first free rural school on his estate in Golești, open to all social classes. The monument is considered one of Hegel’s last great works.

Legal status: Class B monument; LMI code: B-III-mB-19989.

Monument to Mihail Kogălniceanu in Piatra Neamț
Unveiled on 19 May 1913
Bronze (sculpture), sandstone (plinth)

The monument to Mihail Kogălniceanu (1817–1891), an eminent politician, lawyer and trusted adviser to Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (1820–1873), was unveiled on 19 May 1913, on the day of the inauguration of the National Congress of the League of Culture. It was created on the initiative of the local intelligentsia.

The sculpture depicts Kogălniceanu during his famous speech at the Berlin Congress in 1878. On the front of the plinth is a bronze plaque with a bas-relief depicting a group of peasants being informed of the 1864 Emancipation Act. This scene symbolically evokes the social reforms introduced by the Cuza government, in which Kogălniceanu played a key role.

The monument was originally erected in a park in the historic centre of Piatra Neamț, near the town hall. In 1958, during the urban redevelopment of the Communist era, the monument was removed with the intention of melting it down at a foundry. It was saved from destruction by Father Constantin Matasă, one of the region’s cultural activists. Following the reorganisation of the urban landscape, the monument was temporarily moved to Central Park, and then, in 1974, erected in front of the Museum of History and Archaeology, where it remains to this day.

The history of this sculpture is linked to an earlier bust of Kogălniceanu created by Vladimir Hegel for the Romanian Academy. The monument in Piatra Neamț, created two decades later, is regarded as one of the most successful artistic representations of this figure.

Monument to the Defenders of 1848 in Bucharest
Unveiled on 29 September 1901
Bronze (sculpture), stone (plinth)

The monument commemorates those who took part in the 1848 revolution. Its construction was initiated on 11 June 1898, on the 50th anniversary of Prince Gheorghe Bibescu’s signing of the ‘Proclamation of Islaz’ – one of the key documents of the Wallachian Revolution.

The monument commemorates the Battle of Spiria Hill on 13 September 1848, when units of Bucharest revolutionaries and soldiers of the 2nd Wallachian Infantry Regiment attempted to defend the city against the intervention of the Ottoman forces. The sculpture depicts a winged female figure, interpreted as an allegory of Romania or an angel, blowing a trumpet and supporting a wounded revolutionary.

The monument originally stood in front of the former arsenal. In 1984, due to the construction of the People’s House, it was dismantled. Several years later – on 13 September 1990 – it was re-unveiled at a new location, at the junction of Calea 13 Septembrie and Strada Izvor, where it stands to this day.

Inscriptions:

• “To the fighters of 13 September 1848, from the grateful Romanian people, MDCCCL (1900)” (translation: To the fighters of 13 September 1848, from the grateful Romanian people, 1900).
• “In memory of the battle fought at this spot by the Bucharest fire brigade, commanded by Captain Zaganescu, and by the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Line Regiment under the command of Colonel Radu Golescu against a division of the Turkish army commanded by Kerim Pasha” (translation: In memory of the battle fought at this spot by the Bucharest fire brigade under the command of Captain Zăgănescu and by the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Line Regiment under the command of Colonel Radu Golescu against a division of the Turkish army commanded by Kerim Pasha).

Sculptures in the gardens of the Athenaeum in Bucharest

• Mihail Kogălniceanu
• P. S. Aurelian
• Ienăchiţă Văcărescu, 1899
• Constantin Esarcu, 1900
• Vasile Alexandrescu Urechia
• Grigore Tocilescu
• C. I. Stăncescu
  

Museum objects

Bust of Queen Elisabeth of Romania
1891
Marble
Peleș National Museum, Sinaia
Inv. No. 1010/S102

An idealised portrait in the Neoclassical style. Queen Elisabeth of Romania (Elisabeta a României) is depicted with her head turned slightly to the right, her hair pinned up in a bun and adorned with a tiara. The Queen’s face expresses pride and serenity, and her features are idealised. The work belongs to a series of portraits of prominent figures from political and cultural life.

Signed: W. Hegel 1891

Information from the museum catalogue.

Bust of Mihail Kogălniceanu at the Romanian Academy
1893
Bronze
Romanian Academy, Bucharest\

This bronze bust of Mihail Kogălniceanu (1817–1891), a politician, lawyer and one of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza’s principal collaborators, was created in 1893. The work is held in the collection of the Romanian Academy in Bucharest. Wladimir Hegel returned to the image of Kogălniceanu twenty years later, creating his monument in Piatra Neamț, which was unveiled in 1913.

The Column of Carol I (model)
1903
Bronze (cast by F. Barbedienne, Fondeur, Paris)
Peleș Museum, Sinaia

The model of the column, which is typologically reminiscent of Trajan’s Column in Rome, commemorates Romania’s victory in the War of Independence of 1877–1878. The shaft of the column is covered with reliefs depicting scenes from the war campaign.

Inscription: W. Hegel sculpt / F. Barbedienne, Fondeur, Paris //.
Translation of the inscription: 1877–78 / TO KING CHARLES I / THE ROMANIAN MILITARY ENGINEERING CORPS / 1903 //.

Information in the museum catalogue.

Miron Costin – sculptural study for the monument
Before 1888
Bronze
Height 40 cm
Muzeul Național de Artă al României, Bucharest
Inv. no. 89530/163

This small bronze sculpture depicting Miron Costin is a portrait study created during the preparatory work for the monument unveiled in Iași in 1888. The model shows a bearded man with long hair and a crown on his head. The image is rendered in a historicist style, emphasising the figure’s dignity.

Signature: ‘V. HEGEL’
Monogram on the front, at the base of the sculpture: ‘M.C.’

Legal status: the object was entered in the register of movable monuments in 2007.
Information in the museum catalogue.

Bust of Mihail Kogălniceanu
1893
Bronze
60 x 54 x 36 cm
National Museum of Art of Romania, Bucharest
Inv. No. 81096
Information in the museum catalogue.

Sculpture of Carol I
Bronze
Bucharest Municipal Museum, Bucharest

Bust of Ienăchiță Văcărescu
1897
Bronze
National Museum of Art of Romania, Bucharest
Inv. no. 63948/101D
Information in the museum catalogue .

Head of a Musketeer
1889
Bronze
Diameter 37 cm
National Museum of Art of Romania, Bucharest
Inv. No. 101202/156
Information in the museum catalogue.

Bust of Eugeniu Carada
Late 19th century
Bronze
73 x 52 x 25 cm
“I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre Museum, Bucharest
Inv. no. B. 85
Information in the museum catalogue.

Bust of Queen Elisabeth of Romania
1891 (probably)
Bronze
38.5 x 23.5 x 16 cm
“I.L. Caragiale” National Theatre Museum, Bucharest
Inv. No. 65343
Information in the museum catalogue.

Bust of Charles I
1891 (probably)
Bronze
36.5 x 23.5 x 16 cm
National Museum of Art of Romania, Bucharest
Inv. No. 63861
Information in the museum catalogue.

Other works

Palace of Justice in Bucharest, allegorical sculpture
Circa 1890

One of the sculptures on the façade of the Palace of Justice. It was situated above the clock. It was destroyed during the 1940 earthquake. It depicted a female figure with her right hand raised, holding a cross.