| Cantacuzino Palace Palatul Cantacuzino | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts &Rococo Revival |
| Location | Bucharest, |
| Coordinates | 44°26′55″N26°05′18″E / 44.4487°N 26.0883°E /44.4487; 26.0883 |
| Construction started | 1898[1] |
| Completed | 1906[2] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Ion D. Berindey |
Cantacuzino Palace is located onCalea Victoriei no. 141,Bucharest,Romania. It was built by architectIon D. Berindey in theBeaux Arts style, having a fewRococo Revival rooms. Today it houses theGeorge Enescu museum.[3]
The palace was built in 1901–1902 forGheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino, mayor ofBucharest and former prime-minister, after the plans ofIon D. Berindey, in the FrenchBeaux Arts style. After his death, the building was inherited by his son Mihail G. Cantacuzino, who died prematurely in 1929. Mihail's wife Maria remarried in December 1939 with music composerGeorge Enescu. On 10 August 1913, at the end of theSecond Balkan War, theTreaty of Bucharest was signed here.[4] The building – known as Cantacuzino Palace at the time – also hosted the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in the eve ofWorld War II.
After the death ofGeorge Enescu in 1955, his wife stated in her will that the palace would host a museum dedicated to the artist. In 1956, The National MuseumGeorge Enescu was established.[5][6]
The exterior and most of the rooms areBeaux Arts, the rest beingRococo Revival. The two lions at the entrance, and the gates and fences, in theLouis XIV style, give the building a princely look. The palace had the fame of a place in Bucharest where balls were held.[7] For the decoration of the interiors, Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino turned to the most famous artists of the time:George Demetrescu Mirea,Nicolae Vermont andCostin Petrescu. Nicolae Vermont made sixmedallions (oil on canvas embossed on the wall), three of which were signed and dated 1907. Five of the six medallions are placed above the doors in the hallway that led to the rooms to the right of the entrance. Two of them,Shepherd with Sheep (Cioban cu Oile) andPeasant Woman with Vessel (Țărăncuță cu Cofă), are directly inspired by the work ofNicolae Grigorescu, under whose influence was their author.[8]
In present day, about only five rooms can be visited, the rest being occupied by some institutions.