#Exhibit of the Month

To mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great Romanian sculptor Constantin Brâncuși, 2026 was declared by the President of Romania the Year of Constantin Brâncuși. Constantin Brâncuși, one of the greatest sculptors of the twentieth century, was born in 1876 in Hobița, Gorj County, and passed away in 1957 in Paris; he was buried in the Père-Lachaise cemetery. In 1904 he arrived in Paris, where he attended courses at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. There he also worked in the studio of Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), the founder of modern sculpture, and met Amadeo Modigliani (1884-1920), the Italian sculptor settled in France. Inspired by the work of these artists, he perfected his artistic training in Paris. His works are held in museums both at home and abroad, in the Netherlands, the Scandinavian countries, France, and the United States of America. For his outstanding merits he was awarded the Order of the Star of Romania in 1923; in 1931 Nicolae Iorga proposed him for the Order of Cultural Merit; and only in 1990 was he posthumously elected a member of the Romanian Academy.
One of the artist's most famous creations is the sculpture Mademoiselle Pogany, considered a national symbol of modern Romanian art. Its protagonist was Margaret Pogany (1879-1964), a young Hungarian painter who came to Paris in 1909 to study painting techniques. Visiting her studio, she asked the sculptor to make her portrait, even leaving him a photograph and a self-portrait. In 1911 Brâncuși sculpted her likeness from memory in marble and in bronze, focusing on the deep, large, almond-shaped eyes, the subdued eyebrows, the narrow nose, the small mouth, the austere hairstyle and the modest gesture of the hands, rested against the face. Between 1912 and 1933 he produced nineteen versions of Mademoiselle Pogany.

The commemorative medal "Constantin Brâncuși (1876-1976). Expoziție Filatelică Omagială - București 1976" was struck in Romania at the State Mint by the engraver Ștefan Grudinschi. Executed in bronze with a diameter of 60 mm and a weight of 113.73 g, the medal is remarkable for its memorial and artistic value. Obverse: the sculptor's bust facing left, with the semicircular legend "CONSTANTIN BRÂNCUȘI - 1876-1976." Reverse: a fragment of the triptych The Gate of the Kiss. Semicircular legend: "EXPOZIȚIA FILATELICĂ OMAGIALĂ - BUCUREȘTI 1976."
The medal "Constantin Brâncuși. Mademoiselle Pogany. Craiova Art Museum. 1987" was also executed in bronze at the State Mint (Bucharest); it has a nominal diameter of 60 mm (because of the circular cutting the actual dimensions are D: 45 mm; weight: 53.55 g). The obverse shows, in the central field, an image of the Craiova Art Museum framed by the semicircular legend "MUZEUL DE ARTĂ - CRAIOVA / 1987." The reverse depicts a replica of the sculpture Mademoiselle Pogany made by Brâncuși's pupil O. Moșescu, accompanied by the inscription "CONSTANTIN BRÂNCUȘI - M-elle POGANY / 1913."

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

“European Moldova”

August 11, 2025 – January 31, 2026

The exhibition is dedicated to the National Holidays-Independence Day and Romanian Language Day-and presents an impressive selection of photographic images reflecting the process of European association and integration of the Republic of Moldova. The exhibition opening will take place on August 26, 2025, at 11:00 AM, in Exhibition Hall No. 1 of the National Museum of History of Moldova.

The proclamation of the Republic of Moldova's state independence on August 27, 1991, marked the beginning of a new era in the political, socio-economic, and cultural development of the young state. The Republic of Moldova firmly set out on the path of reform and progress, confirming its commitment to building a democratic society based on the rule of law and respect for human dignity and rights, as well as its aspiration to align with the values of the European Union.

The deepening of cooperation with the European Union began with the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement of 1994, followed by the Action Plan of 2005, and continued with the signing of the Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union on June 27, 2014. This agreement laid the foundations for stronger political association and economic integration, promoting shared values and enhanced cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

On March 3, 2022, the Republic of Moldova submitted its application for accession to the European Union, and on June 23, 2022, the European Council recognized Moldova's European perspective and granted it the status of EU candidate country.

Following the constitutional referendum of October 20, 2024, and the decision of the Constitutional Court on December 13, 2024, the objective of Moldova's accession to the European Union was introduced into the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova. Thus, the country's supreme law-the Constitution-reaffirmed the European identity of the Moldovan people and the irreversibility of its European path, declaring integration into the European Union as a strategic objective of the Republic of Moldova.

The achievement of this objective requires sustained efforts from the political class, civil society, and all state institutions, including cultural figures and institutions that promote European values and contribute to raising awareness throughout society of the necessity of European integration for a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future for the Republic of Moldova and its citizens.

The exhibition "European Moldova" aims to promote and strengthen the sense of belonging to the European Union and the citizens' attachment to European values.

The exhibition brings together approximately 100 photographic images that reflect the historical journey of the Republic of Moldova from the proclamation of independence to the signing and implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.

Various sections of the exhibition highlight political and cultural events, visits by high-ranking European officials who expressed support for Moldova's European path, artistic ensembles, and prominent personalities who promote Europe's democratic and cultural values.

The images presented in the exhibition are sourced from the collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova and the personal archive of photojournalist Mihai Vengher.

#Exhibit of the Month

Constantin Brâncuși in Medallistics

“European Moldova”

August 11, 2025 – January 31, 2026

#Exhibit of the Month