#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.

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Exhibitions

"Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art"

March 23 – April 30, 2023

The exhibition of the project "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" is a cultural endeavor that aims to promote the beauty and richness of Romanian traditions and folk art, starting from the pride and passion with which Queen Maria promoted these cultural values authentic both through his political activity and through his cultural work.

The exhibition speech made by the historian Nicolae Pepene is focused on archival images of the Crown Princess / Queen Maria of Romania in folk costume, photographed in her residences in Bicaz, Bran, Cotroceni or Peleș. Images from the period 1893 - 1936 are presented, accompanied by explanatory texts and quotes from the work of the sovereign. The exhibition also includes a selection of images from the illustration of children's books written by Queen Maria, works that abound in drawings inspired by the image of traditional Romanian costumes and objects adorned with popular motifs.

The exhibition "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" was launched in 2018, on the occasion of the celebration of the Centenary of Great Romania, being presented at the Cotroceni National Museum and, in outdoor form, in Piața Unirii in Oradea, in Piața Unirii from Râșnov, Piața Sfatului from Brașov and at the Bran National Museum. Then, the exhibition was presented in Iași, in the pedestrian area of Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt Boulevard, and in Timișoara, in Iulius Mall, in 2019, and at the Maramureș County Museum of Ethnography and Folk Art, in 2020.

At the international level, the exhibition "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" was presented in Washington DC, at the United States Institute of Peace, within the Alliance Gala Awards 2018; in Brussels, in the main headquarters of the EU Council and the General Secretariat of the Council of Europe (Justus Lipsius building), on the occasion of the "Open Day" event at the European institutions in Brussels, in 2019; in Paris, in the headquarters of the Romanian Embassy in France, as part of the "For the love of beauty" Festival, organized by the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Western and Southern Europe, on October 13, 2019 (the event was attended by HRH Margareta, the Custodian of the Crown of Romania, and the Prince Radu of Romania).

The exhibition also traveled to Ireland, Dublin, Canada, Montreal and Quebec in 2018; in the United States of America, in Philadelphia, Chicago and St. Paul (Minnesota) in 2019 and at the Maryhill Museum of Art in 2020.

The exhibition "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" is made by the Brașov County Museum of History, together with the Forums Association, and is traveling in the Republic of Moldova with the support of the National Museum of History of Moldova, the Bessarabian Youth Association and Brasov County Council. The presentation in Chisinau of the exhibition dedicated to the Queen of Great Romania is the occasion of the celebration of 105 years since the Union of Bessarabia with Romania in 1918, being a cultural activity initiated by the Bessarabian Youth Association.

The exhibition "Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art" can be visited between March 23 and April 30, 2023, in the hall on the ground floor of the National Museum of History of Moldova, 31 August 1989 street, 121A.

#Exhibit of the Month

Portrait of Mihai Eminescu by Alexandru Gușanov

"Queen Maria, irresistible ambassador of Romanian history and folk art"

March 23 – April 30, 2023

#Exhibit of the Month