Art Safari exhibition in Bucharest tells ‘History of Romania in 100 Portraits’

Wars, uprisings, revolutions, intrigues, Romanian awards, and innovations are evoked in "The History of Romania in 100 Portraits" exhibition, which can be seen at Art Safari in Bucharest until July 28.

The exhibition, realized in partnership with the National Museum of Romanian History and the Romanian Cultural Institute, is curated by Cornel Ilie and designed by Diana Nicolaie. It brings together works and objects from the heritage of 36 institutions and private collections, many of which are being exhibited for the first time.

The section dedicated to the most known and important Romanian rulers presents a series of treasure pieces. One example is an engraving by Bartholomaeus Gothan, Lübeck (dated 1488-1493), from a private collection, showing the true appearance of Vlad the Impaler. Until now, two engravings illustrating Vlad the Impaler, printed in incunabula (copies of a book printed in the early years of printing, before the year 1500), are known. The Lübeck incunabulum from 1488-1493 is the first of its edition, containing 12 pages referring to the stories about Vlad the Impaler.

Michael the Brave (1558-1601) is evoked through the painting "The Killing Scene of Michael the Brave" by Constantin Lecca (1807 – 1887), from the collection of the National Museum of Art of Romania, but also by Grigore Romano (collection of the National Museum of Romanian History).

A large-scale work presents Stephen the Great (1438-1504) – the portrait found in many history textbooks comes from the National Museum Complex Neamț/Roman Art Museum.

Among the 100 works present in the exhibition is also the iconic portrait of Tudor Vladimirescu made by Theodor Aman, from the collection of the National Museum of Romanian History.

The exhibition also features photos from the first photographer from the Romanian Principalities. Carol Popp de Szathmári (1812-1887) was the painter and photographer of the ruling court under Gheorghe Bibescu, Barbu Știrbei, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, and Carol I. Visitors can admire "Cupidon" (dated 1848), considered to be the first photograph taken on the territory of the Romanian Principalities, and the portraits of Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Elena Cuza, and King Carol I.

Other emblematic moments of Romanian history are evoked in the exhibition through a series of paintings and objects. Among these is "The Constitution from Bucharest of June 11, 1848," made by Costache Petrescu, from the collection of the Romanian Academy Library.

Also on display are the first Romanian grammar book, the uniforms of King Ferdinand I and Marshal Alexandru Averescu, and the cosmonaut suit of Dumitru Prunariu.

The exhibition also presents a section dedicated to the greats of Romanian literature – Mihai Eminescu, Ion Creangă, George Bacovia, Tudor Arghezi, Nichita Stănescu, and so on. Rare portraits and letters from Mihai Eminescu, photographs with Ion Creangă, a portrait of Tudor Arghezi signed by Corneliu Baba, a portrait by Ion Grigore of George Bacovia, engravings by Nichita Stănescu, and more are also part of the collection on display.