#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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Opening of the exhibition "Chisinau through time"

October 12, 2022

On October 12, at 16:00, at the National Museum of History of Moldova was opened the exhibition "Chisinau through time" by the fine artist and poet Galina Vieru.

The exhibition "Chisinau through time" includes a series of works based on legends and realities, which reveal the white stone face of this city, indented and polished by time, through its people and centuries. The painting collection calls to knowledge and discovery, to openness and light, to new steps that will seek in the hum of this gigantic nest, its beauty and its charm.

"I prepared this exhibition with a lot of dedication and with a lot of love. I painted the historic buildings, to emphasize their importance in the urban environment, their classical architectural beauty, to show in painting how they shine, how they influence us as residents of this city and to extend their life not only through painting, but also to inspire people to preserve these edifices, to fight for them, to continue to visit them and to emphasize their beauty always. I particularly like two works: the National Philharmonic and the Nativity Cathedral. Chisinau is my home. I've been here since I was 15. Here I found my purpose, love and started a family" said Galina Vieru.

Elena Postică, deputy director of NMHM, mentioned that through this exhibition, the artist and poet Galina Vieru points out the beauty of this city, its charm and pulse, as a sign of gratitude and admiration for it. Just as every place in the world has a story, a history, so the thread of the city of Chisinau springs from a series of legends in which the truth and the mythical, the fantastic and the reality are interwoven.

Inga Edu, the head of the painting section of the Union of Plastic Artists from Moldova, mentioned that Galina Vieru is an artist who loves her country, her native land and everything that is beautiful in our land, including the traditions from the villages that we also see in her works.

The art critic Eleonora Sâdnic noted that Galina Vieru comes with a new perspective on reality, on life and is, as the late writer Nicolae Dabija said, "a poet in painting and a painter in poetry."

The exhibition "Chisinau through time" can be seen on the ground floor of the National Museum of History of Moldova (Str. 31 August 1989 no. 121 A) from October 12 to November 30, 2022.

#Exhibit of the Month

Portrait of Mihai Eminescu by Alexandru Gușanov

Opening of the exhibition "Chisinau through time"

October 12, 2022

#Exhibit of the Month