This work delves into the influence of Romanian folk traditions on the artist Brancusi, exploring how his cultural heritage shaped his artistic vision. Art historian Edith Balas provides a detailed analysis of Brancusi's works in relation to the rich tapestry of Romanian folklore, highlighting the interplay between his modernist approach and traditional motifs. The book offers valuable insights into the ways cultural identity and artistic expression intertwine, making it a significant contribution to the understanding of Brancusi's legacy.
Although much has been written over the years about the ancient mystery religions and their influence on the intellectual life of the Renaissance, scholars have neglected their role in art. This is a serious omission in the case of one of the most popular cultic deities, the Mother Goddess, whose colorful myths and exotic rites, described in fascinating detail by classical authors, became a rich source of imagery for Renaissance writers, antiquarians, and artists. She was especially important to the Neoplatonist philosophers of the period, for whom she embodied the idea of love as the great universal bond and conveyor of divine influences to the mortal realm. In this ground-breaking study, Edith Balas draws upon a wide range of humanistic learning to examine the significance of the Mother Goddess and her cult in the works of such major figures as Botticelli, Mantegna, Michelangelo, Titian, and Raphael, as well in those of a host of lesser artists, including Neroccio de' Landi, Baltasare Peruzzi, Giorgio Vasari, and Pirro Ligorio. Dr. Balas not only provides additional keys to solving the often dauntingly complex riddles posed by many Quattrocento and Cinquecento images―images originally intended to be understood only by a learned elite―but also furnishes scholars with a valuable methodological model for analyzing the presence and meaning of other ancient religious cults in Renaissance art.
Exploring the intricate relationship between Constantin Brancusi's Romanian roots and his Parisian influences, this collection of essays by Edith Balas delves into his artistic evolution over 35 years of scholarship. Balas highlights how Brancusi, trained as an artisan, transformed traditional elements into a modern sculptural language, rejecting academic norms while engaging with contemporary artistic trends. The essays illuminate his dual heritage, revealing how it shaped his pioneering role in modern sculpture and the lasting impact of his work into the twenty-first century.
Vogel im Flug: Erinnerungen einer Überlebenden und Wissenschaftlerin erzählt die Lebensgeschichte von Edith Balas, die sich als „professionelle Überlebende“ bezeichnet. 1944 wurde ihre Kindheit in Cluj (Kolozsvár) abrupt beendet, als ihre Familie während der deutschen Besetzung Ungarns ins Todeslager Auschwitz deportiert wurde. Sie überlebte die Schrecken von Auschwitz, einem Sklavenarbeitslager und Bergen-Belsen. Nach ihrer Rückkehr heiratete sie Egon Balas, einen vielversprechenden Diplomaten, doch 1952 wurde er vom rumänischen kommunistischen Regime verhaftet und verschwand für über zwei Jahre. Edith wurde zur persona non grata. Nach seiner Freilassung sahen sie in Rumänien keine Zukunft mehr und emigrierten schließlich in die Vereinigten Staaten. Dort wurde Egon ein bekannter Mathematiker und Edith eine angesehene Kunsthistorikerin, bekannt für ihre Einsichten in Michelangelo und Constantin Brancusi. Trotz ihrer schweren Schicksalsschläge, einschließlich fünf Brustkrebserkrankungen, ist ihre Geschichte eine von Hoffnung und Triumph. Sie zeigt, wie jemand, der vom Schicksal niedergeschmettert wurde, dennoch weiterleben und gewinnen kann. Der Titel ihrer Erinnerungen, inspiriert von Brancusis berühmter Skulptur, symbolisiert ihr Leben.
