Bust of Romania's former first lady 'too sexy', says Ministry of Culture

An official said the breasts were too large on the sculpture of Arethia Tatarescu

A sculpture erected to commemorate a former first lady of Romania must be altered because it is “too sexy”, the country’s Ministry of Culture has said.

The bronze bust of Arethia Tatarescu is deemed aesthetically inaccurate because the breasts are too large, the Huffington Post reported, citing Central European News.

The statue was unveiled in a park in Ms Tatarescu’s hometown of Targu Jiu, in Gorj County, in October. The local council paid more than £4,000 for the work.

Radu Boroianu, a deputy minister in the Romanian Ministry of Culture, said the sculpture should be removed and modified by local artist Paul Popescu.

Mr Popescu refused the request and said that “in artwork breast size is a matter of taste”.

He said: “Minister Boroianu personally finds it too sexy because the breasts are too large. I don't think that the breasts are too small, and I don't think that they are too large. I think they are just right.”

Born in 1889, Arethia Tatarescu was the wife of Gheorghe Tatarescu, who served twice as Romanian prime minister, three times as foreign minister and once as war minster during the 1930s and 1940s.

She was recognised for her beauty and her love of art and culture.