Gate of the Kiss, Stone sculpture in Târgu Jiu, Romania
The gate stands on two massive pillars of travertine stone that together support a wide horizontal beam. Each pillar displays circular patterns carved into the pale stone on all four sides.
Brâncuși created the gate in the late 1930s as part of an ensemble commemorating soldiers who fell in the First World War. Work on the monument was completed in 1938 and it was installed together with other sculptures in the city park.
The circular motifs on the pillars come from Romanian wood carvings on farmyard gates and tombstones, where they have long served as a sign of connection. Visitors today can see how these folk patterns were translated into the modern form of the monument.
The gate sits on a long axis through the park that visitors can walk along to reach the other works by Brâncuși. The path is flat and easy to navigate, allowing visitors to view the sculpture from all sides.
The restoration in 2003 required special procedures for the travertine, as the material reacts sensitively to moisture and temperature changes. Experts had to ensure that surface treatments did not alter the fine lines of the carvings.
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