#Exhibit of the Month

This remarkable portrait of Mihai Eminescu, created by artist Alexandru Gușanov, is based on one of the four known photographs of the poet. The photograph that inspired this portrait was taken in 1869 in Wenceslas Square, Prague, when Eminescu was only 19 years old. The oval composition and harmonious color palette highlight the prominent personality and charisma of the young poet, capturing an expression that conveys both melancholy and intellectual depth.
Alexandru Gușanov (1929-2005), a Moldovan painter of Ukrainian origin, distinguished himself through his extensive work, comprising approximately 5,000 pieces - portraits, landscapes, and still life paintings. Settled in Moldova since 1945, Gușanov graduated from the Republican Art School "I.E. Repin" in Chișinău in 1952. His works were showcased in numerous national and international exhibitions and were highly appreciated in countries such as France, Hungary, Russia, and Yugoslavia. The artist dedicated a significant part of his career to creating portraits of historical and cultural figures, including Dimitrie Cantemir, Mihail Kogălniceanu, and Alexei Mateevici, which are part of the National Museum of History of Moldova's collection.

The subject of the portrait, Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889), is the most significant poet in Romanian literature, whose works reflect profound thought, sensitivity toward nature, and national identity. At the age of 19, when the photograph that inspired this portrait was taken, Eminescu was in the midst of his intellectual formation, preparing to become the iconic voice of Romanian culture. Among his most famous works is the poem Luceafărul (The Morning Star), a masterpiece of universal literature.

Virtual Tour

Exhibitions

„Bessarabians in the Gulag"

June 28th - September 15th, 2016

The National Museum of History of Moldova opened on Tuesday, June 28 2016, the photo and documentary exhibition „Bessarabians in the Gulag", dedicated to the victims of Stalinist deportations.

The event included the presentation of book „Arhivele memoriei" (Archives of Memory), elaborated within the Public Project „Recovery and historic valorization of the historical memory of the victims of totalitarian communist regime from Soviet Moldavia during the years 1940-1941 and 1944-1953".

The exhibition has on display about 130 photographic images and documents reflecting the experience in the Gulag of Bessarabian families which were raised in three mass deportation waves conducted by the Soviet authorities in 1941, 1949 and 1951. The deportees come from different parts of the country. The display order follows the chronology of deportation operations. Besides photos of deportees, there are shown a few maps of Soviet Gulag, decisions and documents issued by bodies of repression revealing the conduct of deportation operations, working and living conditions in Siberian colonies, regime and everyday live in the Gulag.

A compartment of the exhibition includes several images of monuments installed in memory of the victims of communism. They are meant to remind visitors the need for in-depth study of the totalitarian past, for perpetuation of the memory of the victims of totalitarian communism by building memorial complexes, opening local museums and installing memorial plaques in places of committed crimes and horrors of communism. These actions should be regarded as an imperative of our time, an honorable obligation to history and memory of our predecessors.

The exhibition is displayed on the upper lobby of the museum.

#Exhibit of the Month

Portrait of Mihai Eminescu by Alexandru Gușanov

„Bessarabians in the Gulag"

June 28th - September 15th, 2016

#Exhibit of the Month