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Tag: Brancoveanu style

  • The Brancoveanu Style

    The Brancoveanu Style

    In the Romanian historiography the Brancovan art includes architecture and fine arts in Wallachia during the rule of prince Constantin Brancoveanu (1688-1714). That epoch had a decisive impact on the subsequent development of art. The term is also used to describe the works of art during the rule of the Mavrcordat princes until 1730. Sometimes art historians characterize the Brancoveanu style by analogy with the Western Renaissance, due to its rationalist structures, but its decorative abundance also allows for the use of the syntagm “Brancoveanu Baroque”.



    The foundations of the Brancoveanu style were laid during the 20-year long rule of Prince Matei Basarab in the 17th century that provided a certain political stability and favoured the development of the arts in Wallachia. In the period after Brancoveanu’s rule, it was the architecture of the boyar’s manors that developed. That was in keeping with the influence that the big boyars exerted in the late 17th century to the detriment of Prince Matei Basarab’s successors. Art historian Adriana Scripcariu believes that the Brancoveanu art should be explained so that everybody may understand it:



    Adriana Scripcariu: “In 2014 when tribute was paid to Constantin Brancoveanu, I initiated a project, a book trying to familiarize the general public with the beauty of the Brancoveanu heritage. The book is an exposé accompanied by a lot of pictures and explanations, plus a dictionary covering various themes of the Brancoveanu art. There is a chapter featuring the monastery, a chapter featuring the palace. There is also a chapter dealing with various crafts such as stonework, woodwork, weaving and silverwork. A chapter is dedicated to founders and the edifices they raised, in which we try to show how the founders’ will shaped the entire monument. There are details which give life to historical monuments and which, unfortunately can rarely be found in other books. As a rule, technical explanations are given about the size of a monument, the year when it was raised and the founder’s name. The stories behind those edifices are less made known.”



    “Many books about the Brancovan heritage have been written over time. Stories start from old chronicles from the princes’ time, or told by those who often witnessed the building of the wonderful edifices. Most of our scientists fond of history have dwelled on this nice chapter of Romanian civilization and nearly every year lots of pages are still written about it. What’s the use of another book? you will say. All the more so as it does not discover unheard of things explored by an archaeologist or secret deeds concealed in a rediscovered manuscript. And still, the book is original and you will understand why.” — says the Foreword to Adriana Scripcariu’s book “The Brancovan Heritage in Untechnical Terms”.



    Adriana Scripcariu: “We called the first chapter “Glossary of the Brancoveanu Civilization in Pictures”, in which we explain to the readers the basic notions of the Romanian medieval mentality, who the boyars were, who the princes were and the way social strata interacted. We explain the role of the church, a few theological notions, which are a must for those willing to have an in-depth understanding of the topic. The last chapter written by art historian Luiza Zamora deals with the post-Brancoveanu art, the longest period of Romanian art that produced many historical monuments, which unfortunately today are derelict. I’ve already been told that the book provides a pleasant reading, very appealing in terms of pictures. The photographer of our project is George Dumitriu, a passionate photographer who has been taking heritage pictures for tens of years. One can feel the experience and warmth with which he addressed our topics. The book also has a specific graphic format. We have given up the common pattern of art albums and have chosen a panoramic lay out to make our topics more accessible to the readers.”



    The summer residence of Prince Constantin Brancoveanu at Potlogi, the Mogosoaia Palace and the Old Metropolitan Palace in Bucharest are historical monuments in Brancoveanu style. The Sinaia Monastery, the Horezu Monastery and the Antim Monastery in Bucharest are some of the most important Brancoveanu edifices. The religious architecture stands out through monumentality given by stately sizes and a unitary conception.



    Adriana Scripcariu: “You can appreciate the Brancoveanu civilization when you discover its details and the seriousness with which its founders looked upon a very tiny gesture, which added to another one, was a source of beauty that we can find even today in the monuments that have been preserved. I’m thinking about a case study of a monument, namely the Sinaia Monastery founded by sword bearer Mihail Cantacuzino after returning from a long pilgrimage to the holy places. A lot of details linked to his journey and the way it reflected in his soul are visible in the frescoes of the Sinaia Monastery.”



    Unfortunately, the Cotroceni and Vacaresti Monasteries in Bucharest, real gems of Brancoveanu architecture, were pulled down during the communist regime, in the mid-1980s. The Cotroceni Monastery was rebuilt on its site over 2003-2004.

  • The Brancoveanu style in architecture

    The Brancoveanu style in architecture

    Brancoveanu ruled Wallachia between 1688 and 1714. He was well educated and that counted very much in the development of a coherent architectural vision, leading to the creation of what we call today the “Brancoveanu style”. Here is more from Ruxandra Beldiman, a researcher with the Institute of Art History in Bucharest:



    “Constantin Brancoveanu, who went down in history as a great ruler, fine diplomat and strategist, was also a man of culture, who invested a lot in constructions, using both his and the state’s money. During his reign many churches were built, but also civil residences. Constantin Brancoveanu’s style did not come out of nothing. Some of his predecessors, such as Matei Basarab and Serban Cantacuzino, actually laid the foundations of the later Brancoveanu style, although their style was simpler. The Brancoveanu style can be described as a floral style, because it is something in between floral Renaissance and Baroque. It is an extremely rich style, counting very much on stage design effects, such as carved stone, portals, columns and column heads, all built in a very specific way, that define the Brancoveanu architecture.”



    One of the buildings that best illustrate the Brancoveanu style is the Hurezi Monastery, which was included on the UNESCO heritage list in 1993. Nun Ecaterina Olteanu, one of the guides of the monastery, told us:



    “As this was the first construction he commissioned, Constantin Brancoveanu wanted to make it special, so he hired only highly skilled people, who were both good artists, craftsmen and theologians. He actually started a school of painting, sculpture and architecture. So, along with the building of the monastery, a style was developed, which is the style that defines Romanian Renaissance. As regards architecture as such, the Brancoveanu style can be identified through its long porches, which preserved the traditional elements, typical of the peasant porch houses, but which also borrowed some western elements, such as the Italian loggias. A traditional house’s porch is small, but these porches go along the entire building and are supported by columns connected by arches. Another new element is the vaulted ceiling, combining Gothic and Romanesque elements. Above the doors and windows one can see the ogees, which are western elements. The ornaments around windows and belfries with sculpted columns are in the Baroque style.”



    Nun Ecaterian Olteanu also told us about the paintings at Hurezi Monastery:



    “Paintings are indeed influenced by the Byzantine style, but the new thing that this style brings is the portrait. Even portraits of saints are no longer static, they are more expressive and physiognomy is paid attention to. We have a whole gallery of laic portraits, not only the votive painting, but the entire Brancoveanu family. Also, the chromatics is typical of the Brancoveanu style.”



    As for secular buildings, the most representative is Mogosoaia Palace, as Ruxandra Beldiman told us:



    “Mogosoaia Palace is a private residence which Constantin Brancoveanu built outside Bucharest. In order to reach the mansion from his palace in Bucharest, Brancoveanu built the first Bucharest avenue in 1692, which is now known as Calea Victoriei- Victory Road. Mogosoaia Palace is a key monument for the Brancoveanu style. In fact, during his reign all summer residences gained an imposing aspect. The palace is in the middle of the estate, surrounded by gardens, for which Italian garden designers were brought in to build the gardens, on top of the fact that Italian builders were brought in to build the palace. The architecture of the palace stands out through the loggias or small towers which are very important architectural elements, actually they are pieces of architecture within architecture. The inner walls are painted with patterns of Oriental inspiration. And the stonework is rich in parapets and columns.”



    Aside from Hurezi and Mogosoaia, Constantin Brancoveanu lent his name to other buildings as well, as Ruxandra Beldiman told us:



    “Brancoveanu himself had a number of edifices built, but his wife, Lady Maria, also financed buildings on her own, such as the Hurezi Monastery, the Surpatele Monastery and the Lady’s Monastery, as well as the Sambata de Sus Monastery in Transylvania, since Wallachian rulers also owned land in Transylvania. To the same extent, they undertook the reconstruction of family financed buildings, such as the Brancoveni Monastery in Oltenia. Others were no less active in this respect; his relative, sword bearer Mihail Cantacuzino built the church of Coltea, typical of Brancoveanu style, and he also built Sinaia Monastery. We also have Fundenii Doamnei Monastery, which is very interesting, with its highly refined outer decorations, which are not limited to the entrance portal or the columns of the porch, but also to all the facades.”



    At the dawn of the 20th century, when Romania was seeking out a national style of its own, the Brancoveanu style was one of the most important reference points. According to researcher Ruxandra Beldiman, this will remain a turning point in the development of Romanian architecture.