I waited to visit the main museum of art in Bucharest (the capital of Romania - to come up with some questions). Last time I visited the museum before the 1989 revolution when the communist regime in Romania was removed. A small and easy calculation shows me that I have not seen this museum for more than 30 years.
I want to show you how I spent this day as a small travel journal. May I help someone who will visit Bucharest to reach this museum!
The former Royal Palace is right in the middle of Bucharest, in the Revolution Square. It is a famous market, dotted with important buildings, such as:
Athenaeum
Athenee Palace Hilton Hotel
Library "Carol I University Foundation"
Former Headquarters of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Romania
The Cretulescu Church, built in 1770
Finally, the Royal Palace hosting this museum
After this brief presentation of the place I must go to the story itself. How did it start? With a small plot of my wife and a good friend, Elena. A plot to get me out of the house and take me to the museum.
Let's start the Sunday expedition, a very beautiful Sunday!
Let's get some money because nothing is free...
We are ready to enjoy our eyes, we have reached the gates ... the museum.
For good information of potential tourists: the address is -
49-53 Calea Victoriei, sector 1, Bucharest, code 010063.
E-mail: programari@art.museum.ro
Ticket price (for three exhibitions): 50 lei ~ 10 Euro
The first visited exhibition was ...
The Old Romanian Art Gallery
Although there are vestiges of art on this territory over 7000 years old (I will show this in another post) ... this exhibition shows the Romanian art from the 1500s, the medieval age.
The art of those times was a religious art, developed into monasteries and palaces of rulers. The fact that they were religious achievements and preserved inside the monasteries ensured their existence until the present time.
We climbed the stairs and got there...
The museum is big enough for visitors to get tired.
My two companions are impressed by an icon of Saint Gheorghe
We're going through several halls because there's a lot to watch.
At the end of the medieval exhibition will show the emblem of the two Romanian countries(before union): Moldova and Tara Romaneasca!
Another staircase leads to ...
The Modern Romanian Art Gallery
The first painting that draws our attention is called revolutionary Romania, and was a symbol and label of the Revolution of 1848.
Then we have the joy of seeing the paintings of the greatest Romanian painters, paintings I have seen in the textbooks of the school.
Here are some pictures of some great Romanian painters that you certainly do not know. I hope you enjoy!
Nicolae Grigorescu
Stefan Luchian
This is a famous self-portrait of Stefan Luchian. It happened just before he died and he was so sick that he could not hold the brush in his hand. This is a famous self-portrait of Stefan Luchian. It happened just before he died and he was so sick that he could not hold the brush in his hand. It is said that he had caught hand to brush so he could paint.
George Enescu (the greatest Romanian composer) came to Luchian's dying bed and sang this ballad as a token of appreciation. Because I don't have filming with Enescu, I present this ballad played by the highly acclaimed David Garret!
Let me go back to the painters, now to my favorite ...
Nicolae Tonitza
My favorite picture is this one!
After seeing so many paintings and sculptures, I have to change a few impressions. What did you like the most?
At the end but not the least ... the most famous Romanian artist:
Constantin Brancusi
Constantin Brancusi - Considered a pioneer of modernism, one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th-century, Brâncuși is called the patriarch of modern sculpture.
Source
I would have much to show but I think it's too much. Maybe another time.
After seeing the first two exhibitions, we had to take a break. We've been in the museum for over four hours. We went to eat something, it is a small restaurant nearby where we can eat very well.
Unfortunately, the small restaurant was closed.
We had to thank with less, a few pies ...
We return to the exhibition, we are tired and would like to sit down a little on the grass. Unfortunately this place is occupied by this young girl in bronze.
We're going through another part of the palace, at the entrance we meet a sculpture by Henry Moore, one of the world's most important sculptors!
Now we're going to visit...
The European Gallery
This exhibition is in another side in the Royal Palace, much more beautiful. Exhibition halls are former royal rooms, very nicely decorated, with Carrara and Ruschita marble floors, columns and stairs.
The exhibition is great, presenting the Italian, German, Dutch and Spanish art schools. Because we are tired, it will show you just a few of the most important paintings here.
Rubens
Rembrandt
Pieter Bruegel the Elder
El Greco
I feel sorry for the end. We see the stairs that lead us out. I will definitely come back soon. Not over another 30 years, then maybe I will be a ... ghost!
Downing the stairs I had a surprise. Here were some sculptures of Antoine Bourdelle. A great French sculptor, friend and assistant of Auguste Rodin.
If I still remember Auguste Rodin, here's a sculpture. The famous The Kiss!
Hours are late, we have to leave ... a little rest and then this is the door!
There have been many, many sublime hours. The beautiful hours spent together at the museum on a beautiful and sublime Sunday. I hope you had the pleasure to accompany us and see artwork that beautifies our life. Who is embellishing and enjoying life for hundreds of years. Artworks with tumultuous existence that have now found rest in this museum.
I know there is little chance that anyone reading this blog will be able to visit this museum. Still, I think many of you have a museum closer to where you live.