Constantin Brancusi was considered “the patriarch of modern sculpture”. In Romania, his native country, is a lot more than that. Is a God.

He bequeathed his art to the French state after his death in 1957. He wanted to leave everything to Romanian people, but the communist government declined the offer.

After 140 years since Brancusi was born, in 2016, Romanian Government calls on citizens to help buy Brancusi sculpture “Wisdom of the Earth”. The government will provide €5m of the €11m price tag, hoping to raise the rest from Romanians by the end of September.

But, 2016 was also an election year, so the Government’s donation campaign transformed quickly in a political campaign, damaging the Brancusi brand.

“Wisdom of the Earth” was the last Brancusi sculpture that the Romanian state can recover.

In August 2016, the sculpture at the heart of Romanian identity waits to hear her fate.