Madamoiselle Pogany 1913

Constantin Brâncuși made this sleek brass sculpture, Mademoiselle Pogany, sometime around 1912. Look at how smooth and reflective it is. I imagine Brâncuși, in his studio, polishing and refining this form, coaxing out a kind of essence. Those elegant, elongated features are so simplified, yet they convey a sense of poise, even melancholy. Her hands cradle her face, which gives the sculpture a feeling of intimacy. You wonder, is she lost in thought? There's something very modern about this piece. Brâncuși was part of a generation that really pushed the boundaries, rethinking what sculpture could be. He was in dialogue with artists like Modigliani and Picasso, all searching for new ways to represent the human form. And it’s amazing to consider that this sculpture, with all its radical simplification, continues to speak to us today.