The Kiss, Monumental sculpture in Montparnasse Cemetery, France
The Kiss is a limestone sculpture in Montparnasse Cemetery that shows two figures merged together in an embrace, carved with minimal details into a rectangular block. The work stands about 90 centimeters tall and uses only essential lines to define the two forms joining as one.
The sculpture was created between 1907 and 1909 by Romanian artist Constantin Brâncuși and marked a turning point away from traditional carving methods. It stands as an early example of his distinctive geometric simplification that shaped modern sculpture throughout the twentieth century.
The minimalist representation of two embracing figures shows how artists in early twentieth-century Paris moved away from detailed academic work toward simpler, more abstract forms of expression.
The sculpture sits in section 18 of Montparnasse Cemetery and is enclosed in glass to shield it from weather and damage. The location is easy to reach on foot, and the cemetery grounds allow plenty of room to walk around and view it from different angles.
The work keeps the original rectangular block shape from which it was carved, with only the most necessary lines showing where the two figures meet. This choice to leave the raw material visible reflects Brâncuși's belief that simplicity and directness speak louder than finished polish.
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