Few Bucharest residents know that, hidden in the courtyard of one of the city’s oldest medical institutions, stands the oldest statue ever erected in Bucharest. It is the monument dedicated to Spătar Mihai Cantacuzino, a prominent figure of political and cultural life in the 17th century. The statue, created between 1865 and 1869, represents a reference work both for the city’s history and for the beginnings of monumental sculpture in Romania.

A symbolic statue marking the beginnings of monumental art in the capital

Made from Carrara marble, one of the most valuable and appreciated stones for sculpture, the work belongs to sculptor Karl Storck, considered the founder of the modern school of sculpture in Romania. The monument is listed in the 2010 List of Historical Monuments, classified under number 2277, LMI code B-III-m-B-19962, an official acknowledgment of its historical and artistic value.

Although currently located in the courtyard of Colțea Hospital on I. C. Brătianu Boulevard no. 1, its initial placement was directly in front of Colțea Church. Later, it was moved to the central axis of the courtyard, where it can still be seen today by visitors, patients, or curious passersby. This statue represented the first official commission given to a professional sculptor in Romania for the creation of a public monument, a significant moment for the artistic culture of the 19th century.

An emblematic figure of the Brâncoveanu era: who was Spătar Mihai Cantacuzino

Mihai Cantacuzino (1640–1716), brother of Prince Șerban Cantacuzino, was one of the major personalities of the Brâncoveanu period. Coming from a highly influential family, he held important positions in the administrative structure of Wallachia, including that of spătar – an official responsible, among other things, for leading the princely army.

However, his legacy is connected, above all, to a contribution essential for the social development of Bucharest: the founding of the city’s first hospital. In 1704, on his initiative and with his financial support, Colțea Hospital was established, a medical institution that has functioned, in various forms, up to the present day. The hospital was part of the Colțea complex, along with the church founded by Cantacuzino and the now-vanished gate tower.

Through this initiative, Mihai Cantacuzino became one of the great philanthropists of the era, providing Bucharest residents with access to medical care at a time when epidemics, wars, and scarcity marked daily life. For these reasons, choosing him as the subject of Bucharest’s first public monument was considered natural.

From idea to monument: Karl Storck’s project

On December 13, 1867, sculptor Karl Storck presented the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Public Instruction with a detailed drawing of the statue and a small plaster model to obtain official approval to begin the work. His approach was innovative for the time, as the project represented the first public monument commissioned to a professional sculptor in Romania.

The contract price, 82,000 lei, was a significant amount for the 19th century, demonstrating the importance given to the project. The actual execution in white Carrara marble was carried out by the Italian craftsman Ippolito Lepri, while the final translation of the artistic idea was supervised and perfected by Karl Storck’s son, Carol Storck. Thus, the entire Storck family – which would become one of the most important names in the history of Romanian sculpture – left its mark on this work.

A monumental representation full of nobility and refinement

Designing and executing the statue was not without challenges. The wide space of the Colțea courtyard could visually diminish the sculpture’s impact, which is why the authors decided to make it larger than the person’s actual height. This choice gives the monument balance and imposes authority, confirming Karl Storck’s artistic maturity.

The spătar is represented in the traditional costume of the high nobility of the early 18th century, wearing a long caftan with wide sleeves, a detail that gives volume and stability to the figure. The caftan is fur-lined at the chest and sleeves, a mark of his noble rank, as is the tall hat – the cuca – worn on the head.

The figure rests his hands on the sword’s hilt, an attitude that gives him an aura of modesty, yet also of calm and firmness. His gaze is directed toward the hospital building he founded, symbolizing responsibility and confidence for the community’s future. The sculptor managed to capture the essential traits attributed to the Brâncoveanu era: nobility, inner calm, seriousness, and a kind of sober dignity.

From art to history: a monument that has withstood time

Erected at a time when Bucharest was beginning to adopt Western urban models, the statue of Spătar Mihai Cantacuzino represents a landmark in the city’s modernization period. The monument survived urban transformations, fires, reconstruction works, and even demolitions in the 20th century, remaining in the Colțea courtyard as a testimony to the beginnings of Romanian monumental sculpture.

Additionally, the statue is a reference point for the history of medical institutions in the capital. Colțea Hospital, the first hospital in Bucharest, has endured epidemics, earthquakes, and modernization, remaining today a modern medical complex connected to the tradition initiated by its founder over three centuries ago.

Cultural and symbolic significance of the monument today

Today, the monument to Spătar Mihai Cantacuzino is not only the oldest statue in Bucharest but also an emblematic piece for the city’s historical memory. It marks the intersection of three essential moments: the Brâncoveanu era, the beginnings of Romanian monumental sculpture, and the modern history of the capital.

For passersby who stop to admire it, the statue serves as proof that Bucharest preserves in its heart vestiges of a refined era, as well as lessons about how philanthropic initiatives can shape a community’s destiny. Through its entire composition, the monument continues to convey a message of balance, wisdom, and responsibility, values Mihai Cantacuzino cultivated throughout his life.

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