Abstract Bronze Sculpture – Prince Monyo

This abstract polished bronze sculpture is a striking example of Prince Monyo Mihailescu-Nasturel Herescu’s bold sculptural vision. The form is circular, its surface alive with organic, lobed masses that push outward from within a broken ring. The contrast between the smooth outer arc and the rounded, knuckle-like interior shapes creates a strong sense of tension and energy. Cast using the centuries-old lost wax process, the bronze carries a high polish that catches and reflects light from every angle. The piece is mounted on an integrated square bronze base, signed “Monyo” in the casting.

Prince Monyo was born in Bucharest in 1926, the last descendant of Romanian Voevod Kings. He studied mechanical engineering at Bucharest University and earned a Ph.D. in ancient history and religion from the Sorbonne in Paris. After surviving years as a political prisoner in solitary confinement, he came to the United States as a political refugee and, entirely self-taught, began making clay sculptures to process his experiences. A chance encounter with the renowned Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo led Tamayo to declare him a “great prodigy.” In 1980 Monyo opened one of the largest bronze foundries in Florida. His work has been collected by the Hirshhorn Collection, the Nelson Rockefeller Collection, and featured in Architectural Digest and International Art Guild.