The Cuțescu-Storck House
The Cecilia Cuțescu Storck and Frederic Stork house is one of the most exquisite artist houses in Bucharest.
Steliu Lambru, 02.05.2026, 14:00
The Cecilia Cuțescu Storck and Frederic Stork house is one of the most exquisite artist houses in Bucharest. Part of the Bucharest Municipal Museum, it is located in the centre of the capital city. The house was built between 1911-1913 based on plans by the Swiss architect Alexandru Clavel, and intended to serve as the residence and studio for the sculptor Frederic Storck (1872–1942) and his wife, the painter Cecilia Cuțescu-Storck (1879–1969).
The son of the sculptor Karl Storck, who is considered the founder of modern Romanian sculpture, Frederic Storck was also an important representative of early 20th-century Romanian sculpture and a teacher at the School of Fine Arts in Bucharest. His work comprises busts, public monuments and decorative works. His wife, Cecilia Cuțescu-Storck, was a leading Romanian painter and the first woman to teach at a state arts academy in Europe. Together, the two artists transformed their house into a space of creation, artistic dialogue and a work of art in itself. Since 1951, the house has been home to a museum, having been donated by the family to the city of Bucharest. Elena Olariu, deputy director of the Bucharest Municipal Museum, tells us more about this unique home and studio:
“On a street called Vasile Alecsandri, near Kiseleff boulevard, we find one of the most spectacular homes and artist studios in Bucharest. Its owners left a powerful mark on the house, as they designed their respective studios, large and located in the street-facing wing of the property, separate from the residential wing, at the back of the courtyard, where the family lived. The studios were designed to be large and imposing, because the Storck family had connections to the elite of the day. The princes would come to visit, and the family were friends with Queen Marie. The Storck family generally were held in high esteem by the Royal House. In her memoirs, entitled The Fresco of a Life, Cecilia Cuțescu-Storck said she gave drawing and painting lessons to Princess Ileana, and the whole street would be full of her admirers, who would come to catch a glimpse of the princess coming for her art lessons.”
Architecturally, the house stands out for its Anglo-Norman Neo-gothic style, which is rare in Bucharest. The façade is decorated with faux beams and sculptural elements designed by Frederic Storck himself. The house emanates a very authentic feel, as visitors are immediately immersed into the atmosphere of the place. The ground floor is home to Cecilia’s studio, decorated with monumental frescoes, stained glass, original furniture and her paintings, and that of Frederic. The museum’s collection contains over 2,300 works belonging to the Storck family, including sculptures, paintings, drawings, medals and decorative objects. Elena Olariu tells us more about the architectural details of the house and the two studios:
“We note, first of all, the materials of very high quality, the marble vestibule, from which on one side opens a kind of sculpture gallery that leads us directly to the sculptor’s studio. The most impressive room is the painter’s studio, which features some extraordinary wall paintings. Cecilia Cuțescu-Storck was also a famous decorative artist, and as a teacher she was the head of what we would today call the monumental decorative arts department. She painted this house with extremely spectacular paintings. In addition, right at the entrance to the studio there is a marble monolith, an extremely spectacular green marble column, with a bronze capital, which reminds us of those in the Cathedral of San Marco in Venice. The three steps leading down to the painting studio are also made of marble, and the bronze chandeliers, with arms decorated with Byzantine birds, are reminiscent of the influences in the painter’s work. So great European art is reflected through these influences adopted from Venice and traditional Romanian art. The studio features a monumental stone fountain, which also takes us back to the old church in the courtyard of the Colței Hospital. The sculpted doors of the studio are based on motifs from medieval Romanian monasteries. The ceiling of the entrance hall features a spectacular wall painting, which the painter called The Garden of Paradise. She said she worked on this painting for two years, which shows how important the studio was for her. The sculptor’s studio is more somber and more like what a sculptor’s studio should be, according to Cecilia. The studio may look simple, but it witnessed a lot of hard work. Indeed, as Cecilia Cuțescu-Storck said, this house had the aura of an enchanted place, and was home to intense artistic work. Apart from the two studios, the house also had a reception room decorated with paintings by other artists purchased by Frederic. An interesting tradition of this house, which the Bucharest Municipal Museum has tried to revive, is that Cecilia Cuțescu-Storck, on the eve of her major exhibitions, would open small exhibitions, like sneak previews, which she hosted at home. These exhibitions gave the house special charm. Part of Bucharest’s architectural heritage, the house has remained a hotbed of culture.”
The Frederic Storck and Cecilia Cuțescu-Storck Museum remains a place where architecture, painting and sculpture meet, keeping alive the atmosphere of an era in which art was part of everyday life, a place that tells the story of the Bucharest of yesteryear.
