Statue of Mihai Eminescu, Iași
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Statuia lui Mihai Eminescu | |
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 Interactive map of Statue of Mihai Eminescu | |
| Location | 2 Carol I Boulevard, Iași |
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| Coordinates | 47°10′14″N 27°34′33″E / 47.17043°N 27.57583°E |
| Designer | Ion Schmidt Faur |
| Type | Bronze sculpture |
| Height | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Completion date | 1928 |
| Opening date | 1929 |
A statue of Mihai Eminescu in Iași, Romania, is located at 2 Carol I Boulevard, in front of the Central University Library of Iași.
In 1924, the Popular Athenaeum of the Toma Cozma Church began raising funds for a statue of poet Mihai Eminescu.[1] After collecting 1.5 million lei, a committee was formed to choose a design. Two competitions held in 1927 failed to produce a finalist, despite receiving entries from accomplished artists. A third attempt, held in 1928 under the leadership of Mihail Sadoveanu, resulted in the selection of Czech-Romanian sculptor Ion Schmidt-Faur‘s model. Completed in late 1928,[2] the statue was unveiled in 1929, the 40th anniversary of Eminescu’s death.[1]
The work was originally placed at the entrance to the University of Iași, where a statue of Alexandru Dimitrie Xenopol now stands. Artistically, the result is not considered out of the ordinary. It has been suggested that the poet’s overwhelming character inhibited sculptors’ inspiration, especially during that period. Other contemporary efforts faithfully reproduce his face, but are artificial and lack expression.[1]
