Minister of Culture and National Identity Valer-Daniel Breaz on Thursday has stated that the institution he leads will discuss with the Royal House about the extension of the Peles Castle rental agreement, while mentioning that the Romanian state’s offer is to buy this landmark.
“What I can tell you that is that, right now, we are tenants of the Peles Castle, for there is the Peles Museum there, which is an extraordinary museum. We are going to negotiate with the Royal House, given that the rental agreement expires on June 30, so we are going to extend it, and maybe we will also have an offer, a sale proposal from the Royal House. We don’t know many details. The only thing that we are going to do is to rediscuss, first of all, the rental offer, the offer for the extension of this agreement, because it’s normal for the museum to continue to function there and the works of art to be visited by all those who want to see them,” Minister Breaz told a press conference held at the Government headquarters.
He reiterated that the Romanian state’s offer is to buy the Peles Castle.
“The Romanian state’s offer, the Romanian Government’s offer is to buy the Peles Castle. The offer and the financial proposal must come from the Royal House and, second of all, the Royal House must show that it’s ready to sell this castle,” Minister of Culture Valer-Daniel Breaz also said.
Brancusi’s ‘Wisdom of the Earth,’ worth more than 11 million euors; written bid expected
Valer-Daniel Breaz also said on Thursday that the price for Constantin Brancusi’s “Cumintenia Pamantului” (Wisdom of the Earth) would be much higher than 11 million euros so far estimated, adding that he was waiting for the current owners to make a written bid to the ministry.
“I can assure you that 11 million euros is not the real price; it is much higher, but that was a verbal estimate from the owners. I am waiting for their written bid, and then I can say: this is the price, lets’ make a decision,” he told a news conference at the Government House.
Breaz added that he does not want to follow assumptions, as did the former Minister of Culture Vlad Alexandrescu.
“We are still waiting for them [the owners] at the Ministry of Culture with a written bid, to tell us what the price is, if they want to sell this piece of art, so that we can make a decision and discuss it. I can call on Mr. Vlad Alexandrescu to assure him (…) that the price is not 11 million, as he believed back when he was in office. I do not know where he came with the price from. But I am waiting; I’m not guessing to pass figures on to the public, unless I have a written bid from the people who currently own the sculpture to the ministry,” said Breaz.
He gave assurances to all those who donated money for the failed purchase of the sculpture that they will be reimbursed.
