Art and War.

First World War Echo in Plastic Romanian Artists

Assistant Professor Phd. Cuciuc Romanescu Laura Snziana Ovidius University or Constana, Faculty of Arts

Abstract. The participation of our country in the operations of the First World War, the bravery of Romanian soldiers on the battlefield, and also the sacrifice of all Romanian nation for the Great Union of December 1, 1918, represented, as in the War of Independence, a strong source of inspiration for the artists1. Although preference for scenes of war will see a significant decrease over time, during the conduct of armed conflict and in the coming years will make a special scale. The approach of this kind, however, will know, with the outbreak of the First World War, an approach completely different from that of the last century. In European art from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries dominated the visual representation of history based solely on its heroic side, approach characteristic of Romanticism, who prefer presenting exceptional characters shown in exceptional situations. The vast majority of artists concentrated on presenting exceptional character from at least two perspectives - figures acting and moral qualities unusual and also their ability to alter the course of history in a decisive way, approach that is perfectly consistent with climate throughout the revolution that took place between 1789 and 1848. Instead, The First World War period corresponds only to realistic representations, without pompous and brilliant details, where the heroic deeds will be presented equally with the sacrifices of the people.

* Unlike the Independence War, when only a small number of Romanian artists were mobilized to achieve picture-stories, during The First World War was created conditions in this direction. As we shall see below, an impressive number of painters and sculptors Romanian will live and play with their own means life on the front.

Mircea oca, ase decenii de plastic militant romneasc, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 1981, p. 35.

In the conditions created by the evolution of the war, since the autumn of 1916 in Iai were in refuge the capital, parliament, government and major institutions of our country. Despite this difficult situation, in Iasi conduct activity in all areas, including cultural and artistic. Romania's entry into the First World War whirl stem a thriving development in the arts. Due to the tragic circumstances of the conduct of war and precipitated withdrawal in Moldova, It seemed that for a long time, at least until the end of the war, will stop carrying plastic arts event, precisely the Latin saying Inter arma silent musae. For all that, despite all odds, adverse conditions and precarious work and lack of necessary materials artists, most mobilized on the front, shortly after our country's entry into the war, in Bucharest and Iasi were conducted, at a pace almost normal, many artistic events. Bucharest exhibitions were supported by the German occupation administration in order to attract the sympathy of the public and the Romanian artists. In this context, we talk about the the Romanian artists exhibition opening2, from whose committee belonged H. Braune, the Director of Art Gallery in Munich, German painter Dzialis and Romanian artists G.D. Mirea, Fr. Storck and J.Al. Steriadi. The exhibition, which opened on September 1, 1917 in galleries of Romanian Athenaeum, presented 176 papers bearing the signatures of 55 artists, his center of gravity being supported by Artistic Youth Society3. While in Bucharest were taking place these artistic events supported by the German occupiers, in Iai, beside all front weights, not only the artistic events did not stopped, but artists declined the invitation of the capital (Bucharest) to participate in the Official Room of Romanian artists4. Also, in this context, in Iai, General Headquarters of the Romanian Army thank to the artists who responded to the initiative of establishing a National Military Museum and stated that this call answered "our artists which, with high sense of patriotism put their artistic talent at our disposal"5. The large number of Romanian artists mobilized on the front, in "Section III Adjuvantur"6, most of them young, were grouped apart Romanian Army Headquarters located in Iasi, to be entrusted with the mission to illustrate the reality of life on the front. The final intention of the General Staff of the Romanian Army was the establishment of a National
2 3

Deschiderea salonului de pictur, in Lumina, from September 3, 1917. Expoziia artitilor romni, in Sptmna Literar, from September 24, 1917. 4 Petre Oprea, Artele plastice la Bucureti i Iai n timpul primului rzboi mondial (1916-1918), in Peregrinri n arta romneasc, Editura Meridiane, Bucureti, 1974 , p.37. 5 Barbu Brezianu, Gruparea Arta Romn, in Studii i cercetri de istoria artei, Seria Arta plastic, nr.1, 1964, p. 145. 6 Ibidem.

Military Museum, including a section of fine art. The idea of establishing a military museum is due Major Radu Rosetti, which, in 1914, presented an explanatory memorandum on the multiple motives that call for the establishment of such an institution. Posing course that memorandum, will establish, after the war, The National Military Museum, which included a section of fine art, which "would expose the nation's history touching objects"7. General Headquarters initiative to establish a group of artists, mobilized the army from those attached and mobilized in the army, was expressed through the "Order Circular no. 9400 / June 23, 1917"8, signed by the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Constantin Prezan. Order provide conditions that were made available to artists to carry out the artistic achievement of the mission and purpose of work: "All the works that will design and execute will entrust fully owned by the state, giving up any reward for their work"9. Same order provide the name and military rank of artists grouped near Army General Headquarters, to fulfill the mission of war correspondents. So, it can be seen that, in the mission entrusted, took part a total of 35 artists, of which 26 were painters and 9 sculptors. The artists named in the order circular were the painters: Lieutenant Dumitru Stoica, Lieutenant Teodorescu-Zion, Lieutenant Cornescu Trajan Cretoiu Lieutenant Alexander, Lieutenant Emilian Lazarescu, Ensign Brescu Tache, Ensign Al. Poitevin, Aurel Bieu, C. Petrescu-Dragoe, Troteanu Remus, Aurel Constantinescu, tefan Dimitrescu, Toma Tomescu, Niculescu Andrei, Negoanu Grigore, N. Mantu, Camille Ressu, Al. Macedonsky, Nicolae Drscu, Bulgra Petru, Ionescu G. Doru, Hrlescu D., Ion Mateescu, Otto Briese, C-tin Bacalu, Ignat Bendarik, and sculptors: Lieutenant Ion Jalea, Corneliu Medrea, Oscar Han, Dumitru Muanu, Al. Calinescu, Al. Talpoin (Severin), G. Stncescu, and added by hand: A. Chiciu and Richard Hettie. Living with intensity the events from Eve and during First World War, the Romanian artistis, mobilized on the battlefield, surprised, in those bitter moments, scene of attack, infantry in street fighting, patrols in the fog, landscapes after battles, and human presence, injured physiognomy, feuding fighters or thoughtful. In their works, mobilized artists recorded scenes of battle or behind the front, portraits of heroes, impressive aspects of refugee convoys and prison camps10. Among the artists mobilized, some of them have had a remarkable evolution, others more modest, about some of them nobody knows anything, while others were neglected or forgotten. If we were to question systematically the creative work of all mobilized artists, we
7 8

Ibidem, p. 148. Ibidem. 9 Ibidem. 10 Gheorghe Cosma, Pictura istoric romneasc, Editura Meridiane, Bucureti, 1986, p.81.

should realize a major study, with the necessary difficulties due to the destruction of numerous works from the National Military Heritage Museum, during the bombing of 1944. The first major artistic manifestation which resulted from the mobilization of artists on the front of World War I was Exhibition of paintings and sculptures of artists mobilized, from 24 Januaray 1918 in Iai. The epoch documents, collections and museums who still have works from this exhibition can provide the opportunity to study whole this particular artistic movement, its role and importance for the evolution of Romanian fine arts. The 20 artists who were grouped near General Headquarters had a very laborious task and many of their works can be find in the Military Museum in Bucharest, being representative for pictorial creation of interwar Romanian artistic mouvement11. The epoch press and the public received with enthusiasm the exhibition of artists mobilized, opened in those days of national holiday, and works who will be exhibited represent the basis of interwar Romanian art masterpieces. The artists from the exhibition, although they had little material available and a relatively short time, managed to achieve work-life inspired from front and refuge, which were particularly impressed, they "dared to attack major issues"12. On the opening day of the exhibition was attended by the royal family, actually presented as a special event in the press13. Artistic expression has been widely discussed by journalists, artists and scholars such as Nicolae Iorga, who dedicated to an artist exhibitor the article entitled: Three scenes of war by painter D. Stoica14. About the artistic message, content of ideas and feelings presented in the exhibited works, we can find precious data in the epoch press. A comprehensive article about this special event appeared in the daily Micarea, which, after doing a review of all exhibitors, stops on whom were considered more special. Overall, everyone was amazed because the artists were able to understand "fully the mission that was entrusted to them"15, and all of them are worthy of admiration, because "they made all contribute their talent, managing to create works that will be a remarkable adornment for The Military Museum"16.

11 12

Barbu Brezianu, op. cit., p. 148. C.M., Expoziia artitilor mobilizai, in Romnia, from January 28, 1918. 13 According the daily Opinia, from January 28, 1918. 14 Nicolae Iorga, Trei scene de rzboi ale pictorului D. Stoica, in Drum drept, Iai, from January 28, 1918. 15 Expoziiunea artitilor mobilizai, in Micarea, from January 31, 1918. 16 Ibidem.

Another interesting information was marked in the daily "Opinion", which shows that this particular artistic expression was presented in territory beyond the Prut river, where "The exhibition of paintings and sculptures of Romanian artists mobilized from Chiinu, which always attracts a large audience, will probably open another two weeks"17. The exhibition had a special significance because it was held just few days after the Chisinau Country's decided union of Bessarabia with Romania. Incontestable, this unique artistic event had wide-ranging repercussions beneficial for further development of many artists, who remained united in their belief artistic long time befor this events, animated by the experiences from the battelfield. For the artists mobilized in "Section III Adjuvantur", their presence on the front meant a disturbing experience, the moments of struggle affecting their vibrant artistic sensitivity. Sketches and drawings that were made on the spot represented the documentary material for future oil works, watercolors, sculptures, statuary and reliefs. The compositional scenes dim the atmosphere oppressive from the front, disastrous consequences of the bombing, heavy losses, human suffering.

Selective Bibliography Special works

BREZIANU, Barbu, Gruparea Arta Romn, in Studii i cercetri de istoria artei, Seria Arta plastic, nr.1, 1964. COSMA, Gheorghe, Pictura istoric romneasc, Editura Meridiane, Bucureti, 1986. OPREA, Petre, Artele plastice la Bucureti i Iai n timpul primului rzboi mondial (1916 1918), in Peregrinri n arta romneasc, Editura Meridiane, Bucureti, 1974. OCA, Mircea, ase decenii de plastic militant romneasc, Editura Dacia, Cluj-Napoca, 1981

Press releases and articles

Opinia, from January 28, 1918, April 15, 1918. C.M., Expoziia artitilor mobilizai, in Romnia, from January 28, 1918. Deschiderea salonului de pictur, in Lumina, from September 3, 1917. Expoziia artitilor romni, in Sptmna Literar, from September 24, 1917. Expoziiunea artitilor mobilizai, in Micarea, from January 31, 1918. IORGA, Nicolae, Trei scene de rzboi ale pictorului D. Stoica, in Drum drept, Iai, from January 28, 1918.

17

According the daily Opinia, from April 15, 1918.

Stoica D., De la rzboi(rom the war) , National Military Museum

Stoica D., Mreti, National Military Museum

tefan Dimitrescu, Rnitul(The Hurt), National Military Museum

tefan Dimitrescu, Coada la pine(Tail bread), National Military Museum