Quelques notes sur les beaux-arts de NOTES ET DOCUMENTS Bessarabie au cours des deux derniers siècles). Résumé. Ces notes ont pour objet l'étude de l'art de la Bessarabie du XIXe et de la première moitié du XXe siècle et l’art de la République de Moldova depuis 1944 et jusqu'au début du XXIe siècle. Le terme « Bessarabie » est bien ambigu, avec une SOME NOTES ON THE FINE sémantique polyvalente, définissant initiale- AND DECORATIVE ARTS OF BESSARABIA ment une bande de terre aux embouchures du Danube (appartenant il y a des siècles à la DURING THE LAST TWO CENTURIES dynastie valaque des Bassarabs), mais qui fut plus tard étendue par les autorités tsaristes (et dans ce sens repris dans l'entre-deux- guerres par les autorités roumaines) à toute Constantin I. Ciobanu la zone inter-fluviale Prut-Dniester, autrement dit à tout le territoire de la moitié Les informations succinctes des archives orientale de l’Etat féodal moldave. révèlent que l'actuel Musée National des Dans le domaine des beaux-arts, la période Beaux-Arts de la République de Moldova est Bessarabienne comprend trois étapes le successeur légal de la Galerie Municipale distinctes. La première (1812-1887) se de Kichinev, fondée en 1939 à l'initiative du caractérise par la continuité des formes sculpteur Alexandru Plămădeală et de principales de l'art médiéval et prémoderne plusieurs autres artistes bessarabiens. Le (peinture murale ecclésiastique, iconographie, patrimoine artistique de cette Galerie fut décoration sculptée des iconostases, initialement composé de 173 œuvres monuments funéraires en milieu rural, etc.). (peintures, dessins, sculptures, arts La seconde période est fortement influencée décoratifs, dont la plupart ont été données par l'émergence de l'éducation professionnelle par les participants au dixième Salon de la dans le domaine des arts. Cette période a Société des Beaux-Arts de Bessarabie, tenu à commencé en 1887 – l’année où a été ouverte Kichinev en novembre 1939), auxquelles à Kichinev (Chișinău) la première école de nous devons ajouter les 11 œuvres offertes dessin – et a duré jusqu'en 1918 – l'année de par le ministère des Affaires religieuses et des la Grande Union des terres habitées par les Arts de Roumanie (y compris des peintures Roumains. Pendant cette période – en 1903 – signées par Max Hermann Maxy et a été fondée la première organisation des Alexandru Phoebus, des dessins signées par artistes professionnels de la Bessarabie, la Theodor Pallady et Nicolae Tonitza, des soi-disant « Société des amateurs des beaux- sculptures d’Ion Jalea, etc.). Dans la seconde arts ». La troisième et dernière étape du moitié de 1940, après l'occupation soviétique développement de l'art dit « Bessarabien » de la Bessarabie et la formation de la coïncide avec l'entre-deux-guerres (1918- République Soviétique Socialiste Moldave, 1940), lorsque la Bessarabie devient une sur la base des œuvres de la partie composante du royaume roumain. La Galerie Municipale de Kichinev (et d’autres vie artistique de cette époque ne manque pas donations) fut inauguré le Musée Républicain d'événements importants. Ainsi, en 1921 à des Beaux-Arts. Après le début de la guerre, Kichinev est fondé la « Société des Beaux- pendant l’été de 1941, le musée fut évacué à Arts de Bessarabie » qui – entre 1921 et Kharkov (Ukraine), où sa collection d’œuvres 1939 – organisa onze expositions (appelées est disparue sans laisser les moindres traces. « salons »): sept à Chişinău, deux à Bucarest, Le contexte dans lequel les arts de la une à Bolgrad et une à Ialoveni. République de Moldova se sont développés

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dans l'après-guerre et dans les décennies la sixième décennie et la première moitié de suivantes ne peut pas être compris si nous la septième décennie du siècle dernier qu’on nous référons uniquement au territoire de a réussi à émanciper en partie le style et la la Bessarabie et ne tenons pas compte des thématique des œuvres de beaux-arts. processus socioculturels complexes qui ont Dans les années 1970 et 1980, une série de eu lieu dans les grands centres de l'ex- nouveaux phénomènes sont apparus, tels que URSS. Étant depuis près de cinq décennies l'interférence ou même la fusion des langages totalement isolée de la Roumanie, la culture appartenant à différents genres d’arts bessarabienne ne connut pas la polémique visuels; le caractère idéologique agressif et entre les protochronistes et les synchronistes, militant des expositions de l'époque les disputes entre les partisans du peintre Corneliu Baba et ceux du peintre Alexandru précédente est de plus en plus souvent Ciucurencu etc. L’art de la République remplacé par «l'extase» festive de l' « époque Moldave gravitait plutôt vers les grandes de Brejnev ». C'est le moment où la peinture villes soviétiques: principalement Moscou et réhabilite les valeurs du « climat Leningrad (Saint-Pétersbourg), mais aussi domestique », de l' « individuel », etc. Un Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Lvov, Odessa, Kiev et problème qui, de notre point de vue, mérite d'autres. Beaucoup de débats locaux étaient d'être abordé avec beaucoup d'attention est le des répliques ou des émulations d'actions phénomène de l'art d'opposition à l'idéologie déjà accomplies dans d’autres régions de officielle (le soi-disant underground l'Union Soviétique. soviétique des années 1970-1980). Pourtant, Le processus de l'introduction forcée des nous devons admettre que, malgré quelques principes du réalisme socialiste et de tentatives de renouvellement du langage l'esthétique normative – processus qui a duré artistique (telles que les peintures de Mikhaïl dans l'ex-URSS des années 30 jusqu'à Grecu ou de Valentina Rusu-Ciobanu), en l'époque de la perestroïka de Mikhaïl République Soviétique Socialiste de Moldova Gorbatchev de la seconde moitié des années il n'y avait pas de véritable art d’opposition 80 – a affecté de façon extrêmement dure le comme celui de Moscou ou de Saint- domaine des beaux-arts. Selon les idéologues Pétersbourg. communistes, le rôle de «l'art» était de La situation créée dans les dernières années promouvoir à travers ses méthodes de la perestroïka de Gorbatchev et dans les spécifiques le message du seul Parti-Etat au premières années d'indépendance de la peuple, de l'éduquer dans l'esprit du République de Moldova a radicalement marxisme-léninisme et de la haine envers le modifié les structures de fonctionnement de la capitalisme et l'impérialisme. L'art devait être direct, accessible aux masses et totalement culture en général et des arts visuels en soumis au pouvoir. La hiérarchie particulier. La censure idéologique et les anachronique des genres fut réintroduite: commissions de sélection (sur critères ainsi, la peinture thématique ou le portrait de politiques!) des œuvres d’art pour les parade étaient considérés comme supérieurs expositions ont disparu. Les discussions sur par rapport au paysage ou à la nature morte. la synchronisation du processus artistique de Une fois avec l'occupation de la Bessarabie la République Moldave avec les processus par l'URSS, beaucoup d'artistes qui avaient artistiques européens et mondiaux ont été éduqués dans l'entre-deux-guerres en commencé. Roumanie ou qui avaient étudié après 1944 Dans le contexte de la démocratisation créée (mais étaient encore étroitement liés aux par la perestroïka, l'Union des Écrivains de problématiques de l'art de l'avant-guerre) ont Moldova a présenté les projets de la nouvelle dû changer radicalement de style et de législation linguistique, destinée à donner à manière, en se soumettant au régime. Les la langue roumaine le statut de langue quinze premières années qui ont suivi la officielle sur le territoire de la République. Seconde Guerre mondiale ont été les années Après de nombreux débats et d’hostilités – 70 les plus difficiles. Ce ne fut que vers la fin de générés à la fois par l'opposition de la

nomenclature (locale et centrale) et par une The content of these notes is dedicated grande partie de la population russophone – to a territory – namely Bessarabia – an la Constitution de la République de Moldova ambiguous term with a versatile semantics, fut complétée (le 31 août 1989) par l'article initially defining a strip of land at the sur le statut et les principes de mouths of the Danube (belonging to the fonctionnement de la langue d'état. Des Wallachian dynasty of Basarabs centuries expositions d'art consacrées à la langue ago!), but which was later extended by the roumaine ou à Mihai Eminescu – grand Tsarist authorities (and this amplified sense poète roumain – ont commencé à être was taken over by the Romanian authorities organisées (la première en 1989). Les in the interwar period) to the entire Prut- « Salons de Moldavie » – des expositions des Dniester inter-fluvial area, in other words, peintres des deux côtés de la rivière Prout – to the whole territory of the eastern half of sont devenus des événements récurrents. the Moldovan feudal state. This term Pendant la période de transition, provokes even today the discontent of the en République de Moldova ont été ouvertes Moldovenists from the Republic of les premières galeries d'art privées ("Elita", Moldova, as well as of some representatives "Coral", "L", "Aorte", etc.). À la fin des of the obsolete Protochronism in Romania. années 1980 et au début des années 1990, les However, like a well-adjusted glove, the premiers groupes parallèles ou alternatifs à Bessarabian term (territorial and not l'Union des Artistes Plastiques ont vu le jour : ethnic!) fits just fine with the historical le groupe « Fantôme », le groupe « Zece » realities and artistic achievements in the (fr. : « Dix ») et autres. eastern side of the river Prut in the last two De toute évidence, le fait de «hâter» l'accès centuries. aux avantages de la civilisation moderne In the field of fine arts, the Bessarabian avec ses technologies développées – qui ne period comprises three distinct stages. The correspondent pas toujours à un mode de vie first (1812-1887) is characterized by the et à une pensée qui avaient été enfermés continuity of the main forms of medieval pendant plus d'un demi-siècle dans une and pre-modern art (ecclesiastical wall «réserve totalitaire» – a de nombreux painting, icon art, sculptured decoration of obstacles à affronter. Ces obstacles sont liés iconostasis, funerary monuments in rural aux immenses disparités existantes areas, etc.). The neoclassical and academic actuellement dans les réalités quotidiennes de trends in painting and sculpture become la République de Moldavie: le clivage more and more obvious, and the économique et culturel entre la capitale et la conventional-symbolic language of the art province, entre la ville et le village, la of the icon is gradually replaced by the polarisation exacerbée de la situation narrative of painting on biblical or matérielle des différentes couches de citoyens historical themes. An increasingly du pays, le conflit de mentalités et d’âges, la important role is played by the secular segmentation de la structure démographique theme, the representative portrait, the de la population, les migrations massives à modelling through chiaroscuro in the l'étranger de ceux qui sont capables de treatment of images etc. travailler, etc. Cependant, ce qui était The naive style of Bessarabian icons from considéré à l’époque comme un simple acte the beginning of the nineteenth century is d'enculturation artificielle a vraiment aidé les well illustrated by the icon of St. George jeunes artistes à promouvoir un discours au killing the dragon, painted by the painter niveau des nouveaux impératifs du temps. Mihail Leontovici in 1806 for the church of

Keywords: Bessarabia, Fine arts, Moldavian Orac (district Leova) village. The language of Soviet Socialist Republic, Perestroika, the works of the painter Gherasim and the Republic of Moldova, Salons of Moldova, wood master Ştefan – who made the Socialist realism, Soviet underground. iconostasis for the churches in the villages of 71

Cogâlniceni (district Rezina) and Ghermăneşti history of iconostasis and icons for New (district Teleneşti) at the beginning of the Neamţ monastery in Chiţcani. Thus, the nineteenth century – is much more refined woodwork of the iconostasis for the Church and sophisticated. of the Ascension of the Lord (built in 1867- From what has been known so far, we can 1878 according to the design of the Russian assume that there were no important painting architect M. Golikov in St. Petersburg) was schools on the territory of Bessarabia and that ordered in the capital of Russia, to a certain most iconographers were self-taught: this Platonov. The icons for the iconostasis hypothesis was confirmed by the creation of were made in Odessa in 1870 by the painter Ioan Iavorschi, Constantin and Mardare, the Teofil Dziarkovski. monk Iezechil and other craftsmen- Towards the end of the nineteenth iconographers quite demanded in the first half century, the number of icon-painters fell of the nineteenth century. sharply, as they were replaced by professional Iavorschi’s earliest work – the painting of artists who promoted the academic trend in the tetrapod in the church of Ivancea village religious painting. The work of these (district Orhei) – was completed in 1807 and, professionals would be continued by the from the technical point of view, it is no painters of the Bessarabian churches from the different from the manner of a popular beginning of the twentieth century and the autodidact artist. The following works of the interwar period, the names and works of artist (the icons of Christ the Baptist Panto- artists such as Pavel Piskariov, Alexandru crator and Mother of God with the Child on Plămădeală, Grigore Filatov, Victor Ivanov the Throne, both painted in 1813 and coming and others being a convincing testimony in from the church of Saint Nicholas of this respect. Horodişte village(district Călăraşi) – or the The deathblow to the traditional icons Deisis and Mother of God with the language of Orthodox painting was given Child of 1826 and 1827, from the same by the spread of stamps and woodcut on village) demonstrate the introduction of religious themes in rural areas. Autodidact chiaroscuro in the treatment of faces and painters began to imitate, sometimes even hands, – a procedure which conflicts directly to copy identically the prints, which with the plaster flattened ornamentation of the considerably damaged the style and quality clothes of the painted figures. of their icons and deformed the taste of the Chiaroscuro is also practiced by the public and buyers in a negative way. painters Constantin and Mardare in the painting of the royal gates with the scene of * * * Annunciation in Baimaclia village (1812) The second period of Bessarabian art or by the painter Zabolotnâi in St. Nicholas development is strongly influenced by the icon in Ocnița Veche village (1829). As regards the monk Iezechil’s work, it emergence of professional secular art is represented primarily by the great series education. This period begins in 1887 – the of icons, which were part of the iconostasis year when the night drawing school was of St. Nicholas winter church of Căpriana opened in Chisinau, initially organized by Monastery and were painted in 1840-1841. Iosif Stepankovski but led since 1891 by Despite of some clumsiness, these icons Terenti Zubkov (Terinte Zubcu),– and possess a special charm, unprecedented in lasted until 1918 – the year of the Great the work of other painters of those times. Union of most of the lands inhabited by In the middle and during the second Romanians. During this period, the first half of the nineteenth century, more and organization of the professional artists of more churches and monasteries in Bessarabia, the so-called Amateur Art Bessarabia prefer to command or purchase Society, was founded. This happened in icons painted in the academic style. The 1903 at the initiative of the painters most eloquent case in this regard is the Vladimir Okushko, Mihail Berezovschi, 72

Nicolae Gumalic, Alexandru Climașevschi, while being receptive to the symbolic Iosif Stepancovschi and others, with Vasili message of the followers of the Mir Blinov as president. iskusstva (The World of Art) trend. The Vladimir Okushko (1862-1919) can be paintings of the artist Bessarabia: Fortune- considered the “patriarch” of the Bessarabian telling (1911) or Threshing (1922) have painting at the end of the nineteenth century become truly anthological. and the beginning of the twentieth century. Eugenia Maleshevski (1868-1940) was a His painting Ploughing: The Oxen of 1896 former student of the famous Russian belongs to the genre of works inspired by the realist painter Ilia Repin. But most rural realities of time, which can be easily important part of her work approaches the discovered in various national painting Art Nouveau style of the early decades of schools: from the naturalism of Jules Bastien- the twentieth century. The portrait of The Lepage in France to the itinerant Russian French lady (1910) and The Spring panel painters, called Peredvizhniki, or to the (1916) certify a successful insertion of the Romanian painter Nicolae Grigorescu’s figurative motif into the almost theatrical Oxen-drawn carriages. decorative structure of the backgrounds of Prior to 1918 The Bessarabian Amateur both works. Art Society organized six exhibitions (in * * * 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910). The works reflected the influence of the Russian The third and the last stage of art, especially of the itinerant painters, and development of the so-called Bessarabian art later, of the symbolic groups of St. Petersburg coincides with the interwar period (1918- and Moscow: especially the artists affiliated 1940), after the Great Union of 1918, when to the aesthetics promoted by Mir iskusstva Bessarabia becomes a component part of the [The World of Art] magazine. In the second Romanian Kingdom. The artistic life of that time does not lack important events. Vasile decade of the twentieth century the Cijevschi, Alexandru Plămădeală, Auguste unmistakable profiles of the creation of some Baillayre, Vladimir Donchev, Șneer Kogan, Bessarabian artists such as Pavel Alexandru Climașevschi, Vasili Blinov and Shilingovski, Eugenia Maleshevski, Nicolae other fine artists, writers, singers, journalists Gumalic, Gavril Remmer, Vladimir Donchev and politicians founded Fine Arts Society of were configured. In the same period of time, Bessarabia in Chișinău in 1921, which young people such as Lia Arionescu, Auguste organized eleven exhibitions (called salons) Baillayre and Alexandru Plămădeală started in 1921-1939: seven in Chișinău, two in to make a name for themselves. Bucharest (1921, 1922), one in Bolgrad In the context of modern art in (1934) and Ialoveni (1938). The ninth Salon Bessarabia, Pavel Shillingovski (1881- that took place in Chișinău in 1934 legalized 1942) holds a special place. In spite of the the already existent segregation within this short time he spent in Bessarabia and the society. Its initiators were Iurie (Gheorghe) numerous and various influences, often Bulat and Vasili Blinov, because they were contradictory, which marked his creation, discontent with the jury – designated by the this painter and graphic artist managed to society – that selected the works for create his own, easily recognizable style. In exhibitions. Thus, it was formed the so- Chișinău – his home town – the future fine called Iurie Bulat’s Circle, which included artist made the first steps in the arts under Nicolae Gumalic, Mihail Berezovschi, the guidance of Terinte Zubcu. Subsequently, Vasili Blinov, Pavel Piscariov, Victor he continued his studies at St. Petersburg Adiasevici and other artists. This circle Art Academy, where he worked in the lasted until 1938 and organized several painting workshop of the famous Russian exhibitions in the Orangery of the city park, fine artist Dmitri Kardovski. Shillingovski which generated the colloquial name of the mastered the principles of academic art, new group of artists: orangery painters. 73

Fig. 1 – Painter Mihail Leontovici, Icon St. George killing the dragon, painted in 1806 for the church of Orac village (district Leova). 74

Fig. 2 – Painter Gherasim, Icon Nativity of the Mother of God painted in 1808 for the iconostasis of the village of Cogâlniceni (district Rezina). 75

Fig. 3 – Vladimir Ocushko, Ploughing: The Oxen. 1896.

Fig. 4 – Pavel Shillingovski, Bessarabia: Fortune-telling.1911.

Auguste Baillayre (1879-1961) and sculptor Serguey Volnuhin (1859-1921), Alexandru Plămădeală (1888-1940) were returned to his home during the Russian the two personalities who marked the main Revolution, he was one of the founders of trends of interwar art in the area. Fine Arts Society of Bessarabia, of the Plamădeală – the author of the well-known Municipal Picture Gallery of Chișinău, and monument dedicated to Stephen the Great he permanently occupied the position of in the centre of Chișinău– was an director of the School of Fine Arts. As emblematic figure of the Bessarabian fine regards Baillayre, he was probably the most 76 arts of that period. A student of the Russian “picturesque” personality in the whole

Bessarabian cultural landscape of the 1930s Amsterdam. He was a cosmopolite and 1940s. A talented colourist, an innate personality with a Western mentality. His causeur, an overwhelming bohemian works – The Wife’s Portrait in 1921 and nature, he was loved by his students at the Still Life with Fish in 1927 – reveal an School of Arts. Baillayre was born in authentic decorative spirit largely due to the Vernet-les-Bains, in southern France, spent artist’s affiliation to the aesthetics of the his childhood and adolescence in Georgia, Art Nouveau trend from the beginning of and studied in St. Petersburg, Grenoble and the last century.

Fig. 5 – Eugenia Maleshevski,The portrait of The French lady.1910. 77

Fig. 6 – Alexandru Plămădeală, Monument dedicated to Stephen the Great in the centre of Chișinău, 1925-1928.

Another prominent figure in the artistic new trends in universal fine art with the environments of interwar Chișinău and Iași latter’s mastery in the sphere of theatrical (Yassi) was Theodor Kiriacoff (1900-1958) – art. At the confluence of several cultural one of the fine artists on the left bank of the models, Kiriacoff harmonized with great Prut who managed to made a name for discernment in his works the magnitude, himself in the post-war cultural environment dynamism and refinement of the Art in Bucharest. The disciple of the famous Nouveau artistic approach with the Bessarabian painter Auguste Baillayre and autochthonous spirit, which was traditional, of the Russian scenographer Gheorghe folkloric and deeply tributary to the Pojedaeff (who emigrated from Russia), Christian-Orthodox values. Theodor Kiriacoff knew how to combine in Kiriacoff was neither the first nor the 78 his creation the former’s preference for the only Bessarabian who managed to make a

name for himself in the cultural circles of Romanian Dobrogea. The Romanian art Bucharest. The interwar Romanian art historian George Oprescu appreciated “the journalism focused not only once on the courage of the colour combinations” in creation and personality of Dimitrie Sevastianov’s Odalisques painting, which Sevastianov (1908-1956). This painter was exhibited in the mid-1930s in came from a family of Lipovan Russians Bucharest and which is now in the established initially in Bessarabia and later collection of the National Art Museum of moved to the city of Tulcea, in the the Republic of Moldova.

Fig. 7 – Auguste Baillayre,Still Life with Fish.1927. 79

Fig. 8 – Elisabeth Ivanovsky, Sketch for a carpet. 1926.

The list of great achievements of Boris was Auguste Baillayre's student (in 1923) Nesvedov (1903-1963) includes dozens of and participated as a painter-muralist decorations created at the National Theatre together with other artists in the renovation of Chişinău and dozens of illustrated books. of the interior decorations of the Mazarakie Born in the village of Mitki, Poltava region, church in Chişinău (1936). After the war, Ukraine, the future graphic artist, painter, he mostly works in the field of book and scenographer, moved in 1912 to graphics, being known especially for the Bessarabia, the land where he lived until illustrations to the poem “Andrieş” by his death. During the interwar period, he Emilian Bucov (1949). The Self-portrait 80

from 1933 seems to be the unique work in scenographical valences. The personal the context of the entire creation biography biography of the artist is extremely rich in of the master. The generalizing spirit, the events: born in 1876 in the village of predilection for the shaping of the form Kureni in a family of landowners, he through big surfaces of light and shadow, became an agronomist, but, at the same the exclusion of useless details – all these time, he studied at the Academy of Fine stylistic particularities of the oil on Arts in Saint Petersburg. Subsequently, he cardboard do not characterize the postwar abandoned the service at the Senate in Saint creation of Nesvedov, conceived in most Petersburg and devoted himself entirely to cases in a narrative key, with an abundance the fine arts. Around 1908, Donchev visited of descriptive details. Paris where, he befriended “the great The work Gothic Cathedral (1933) by Mexican” Diego Rivera. He came to Vladimir Donchev (1886-1940) seems to be Chişinău in 1916 and lived here until his a quite lapidary study, with certain death, in 1941.

Fig. 9 – Theodor Kiriacoff, Apocalypse. The black angel. 1936. 81

Fig. 10 – Dimitrie Sevastianov, Odalisques. 1936.

82 Fig. 11 – Șneer Kogan, The Mazaraki Church in Chișinău. 1936.

Fig. 12 – Nina Arbore, Father's portrait (Zamfir Ralli-Arbore).1932.

Fig. 13 – Milița Petrașcu, Mask (portrait of Mrs. Stoenescu). The 1930-1940s of the 20th century. 83

Fig. 14 – Vladimir Donchev, Gothic cathedral. 1933.

A characteristic of the interwar period is Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs that most of the Bessarabian painters, during various periods of 1910-1930. The old sculptors and graphic artists, especially those capital of Bavaria, the German city of from Bălți and Chișinău, studied at the most Munich – an important European cultural prestigious artistic education institutions in centre – hosted Sneer and Moise Kogan Europe. Our colleague, the art historian brothers, Bessarabians who studied at the Tudor Stavilă, in the second edition of our co- Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts. Fine artist authored book The Cultural Patrimony of the Gheorghe Ceglokoff studied graphics at the Republic of Moldova presented an extremely Dresden Academy of Painting (1926-1928). instructive review of the academies and art Nicolae Coleadici studied in Amsterdam in schools attended by the Bessarabian students 1934-1936, Idel Ianchelevici (1928-1933) of that period. Thus, Isaac Antcher (1920), and Tatiana Nicolaidi (1932-1934) studied in Olga Hrschanovskaia (1923), Lydia Belgium, in Liège. In Brussels, Samson Luzanowsky (1923-1927) and Antoine Irisse Flexor (1922-1924) continued his studies, and (1926) studied at Academy de la Grande also attended École Nationale Supérieure des Chaumière in Paris. Nina Patlajan (1910) and Arts Décoratifs in Paris (1924-1926). In the Pertz Vaxman (1910) appear on Académie capital of Belgium, Elisabeth Ivanovsky Ranson list of students. Most of the (1932-1935), Afanasie Modval (1929-1933), Bessarabians – such as Felix Roitman (1925), Claudia Cobizev (1932-1935), Moisei Gregoire Michonze (1923), Joseph Bronstein Gamburd (1925-1929) and Nina Jascinsky (1924), Elena Barlo (1932-1934), Natalia (1934-1936) studied, and their works from Bragalia (1928-1931) and Tatiana Senkevici- that period were largely inspired by various 84 Bulavițchi (1929-1932) – studied at École trends of French art.

Fig. 15 – Boris Nesvedov, The Self-portrait. 1933.

Fig. 16 – Moisei Gamburd, The Spinster. 1944-1946. 85

Milița Petrașcu (1892-1976), considered Gamburd’s peasants are, according to by many art critics the most talented Miron Paraschivescu’s expression, “... real, sculptress of the twentieth-century Romania, massive, tanned by the sun and winds, not studied during the Secondary School in her smiling, rather frowned ...” The bucolic native town, Chișinău, and then entered poetry of the “pastoral” scenes is totally Stroganov School of Fine Arts in Moscow. foreign to the young Gamburd. Later, in the There, between 1907 and 1908, she studied first post-war decade, the message of the sculpture in the workshop of the famous artist’s creation changed, as he was forced Serguey Konionkov, nicknamed “Rodin of to obey the new authorities and to join the Russia.” After a short period of study at the politically engaged Stalinist art (the most so-called Bestujev Courses (for famous works of this period are The Curse mademoiselles!) in St. Petersburg, like Nina and The Elimination of Illiteracy). The Arbore, the future sculptor went to The painting Spinster, even if it was painted in Academy of Fine Arts in Munich where she the last years of war and, possibly, finished studied under the guidance of the great in the first year of peace, pertains to the masters of the European Vanguard Wassily aesthetic pre-war platform of the artist. Kandinsky and Alexei von Jawlensky. There The succinct information from archives she became also familiar with the creation and encyclopaedias reveals that the current platform of the group of intellectuals National Art Museum of the Republic of affiliated to Die Jugend German magazine. Moldova is the legal successor of the From Germany, the artist left for Paris, where Municipal Picture Gallery in Chișinău, she worked in the workshops of Henri founded in 1939 at the initiative of sculptor Matisse and Antoine Bourdelle, participated Alexandru Plămădeală and several other in Salon des Indépendants, and met Bessarabian artists. The artistic patrimony of Constantin Brâncuşi. Established in 1925 in the Gallery was initially made up of 173 Bucharest, the sculptress entered the avant- works (painting, graphics, sculpture, garde movement of Contimporanul, Grupul decorative art), most of them donated by the nostru, and Criterion, and participated in The participants in the tenth Salon of the Society Romanian Art Exhibition in Amsterdam at of Fine Arts in Bessarabia, held in Chișinău the World Futuristic Art Exhibition in Rome in November 1939, consisting of 11 works in 1933. Milița Petrașcu’s one of the most donated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs important works from the interwar period is and Arts, including paintings signed by Max represented by the mosaic of Hermann Maxy, Alexandru Phoebus, Miorița Fountain in Bucharest (1927). At the graphics by Theodor Pallady, Nicolae same time, the artist did not lose contact with Tonitza, sculptures by Ion Jalea etc. her native land; she participated in various In the second half of 1940, after the salons in Bessarabia, and made the bust of Soviet occupation of Bessarabia, the Zamfir Arbore in 1938, exhibited that year in Republican Museum of Fine Arts was Chișinău but disappeared after 1940. inaugurated, based on the works of the The main works of Chişinău painter above-mentioned Picture Gallery (as well Moisei Gamburd (1903-1954) belong also as further additions). After the beginning of to the interwar period. Inspired by the the war, in the summer of 1941, the realities of the Bessarabian village, the museum was evacuated to Harkov, where paintings and the graphics in charcoal or in the museum collection and the archive sanguine of the graduate of the School of disappeared without any trace. As a result – Fine Arts in Chișinău (1923) and of the Art except for two works of sculpture by Academy in Brussels (1928, K. Mantoldt’s Alexandru Plămădeală, sent to the museum workshop), are characterized by the later, only after the war, by the artist’s wife, firmness of the drawing and the Olga Plămădeală, – nothing was preserved compositional equilibrium. These are from the original collection of the Gallery. creations of harsh, ruthless realism. The current museum is reinaugurated in Everyday life in rural areas is presented in November 1944, with only 51 paintings, 5 86 all splendour but also in all its tragedy. sculptures and 49 graphic drawings at the

beginning – mostly obtained due to funds from Moscow and Hermitage Museum transfers from the Tretiakov Gallery, from St. Petersburg (then Leningrad). Aleksandr S. Pușkin Museum of Fine Arts * * *

Fig. 17 – Lazăr Dubinovschi, Strâmbă-Lemne (The Wood-Twister). 1945.

Fig. 18 – Claudia Cobizev, Head of Moldavian Woman. Wood. 1947. 87

Fig. 19 – Ana Baranovici, The Noon. 1960.

Fig. 20 – Mihail Grecu, 88 The Girls from Ciadâr-Lunga.1960.

Fig. 21 – Mihail Grecu, The Recruits. 1964-1965.

Fig. 22 – Valentina Rusu-Ciobanu, The portrait of Emil Loteanu. 1966-1967. 89

Fig. 23 – Valentina Rusu-Ciobanu, Quotes from Art History. 1978.

90 Fig. 24 – Ada Zevin, Pearls. 1967.

The year 1940 – when following the entire Europe was dominated by totalitarian additional secret protocol to the Molotov- dictatorships and anti-Semitism. In the first Ribbentrop pact Bessarabia is occupied by weeks after June 28, 1940 in Chişinău, a the Soviet troops – was a time of extreme large number of talented artists, who were agitation and full of anxiety. A few days afraid of the Nazi threat and especially before the Soviets came (June 28), Hitler’s persecution against the Jews, Alexandru Plămădeală died on June 15, and returned from Romania and other Western consequently the School of Arts in countries. Thus, the painter Moisei Chișinău remained without its “legendary” Gamburd, the sculptors Lazăr Dubinovschi and “permanent” director. The Romanian and Iosif Cheptănaru, the architect Robert officials, an important part of the clergy Curţ and many others returned to and much of the Bessarabian creative Bessarabia. Among those returned from intelligentsia, are forced to flee to Romania. Bucharest were the young artists Mihail Yet, the movement of culture representatives Grecu, his wife Estera, and their colleague, is not unidirectional: at that time almost the future painter and art critic, Ada Zevin.

Fig. 25 – Igor Vieru.Ion’s, Happiness. 1967. 91

A few weeks after the arrival of the Moscow and Leningrad (St. Petersburg), “repatriated,” Bessarabia suddenly turned but also Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, Lvov, into an isolated “closed space,” where even Odessa, Kiev and others. Many of the the citizens of the rest of the USSR territory decisions, reasons, polemics, local debates could not enter without a special permit. were replicas or emulations of actions Nevertheless, in order to “regulate” the already accomplished on a union scale. artistic life of the country and in accordance The process of the forced introduction with the new ideological imperatives, of the principles of normative aesthetics – during the pre-war years 1940-1941 many process that lasted in the former USSR fine artists and art critics from the main from the ’30s until the epoch of Mihail cities of the USSR were sent in Chișinău. Gorbaciov’s perestroika from the second Thus, in 1941 Aleksei Vasiliev (1907- half of the 80s – affected in an extremely 1975) came there. He was a painter and art acute way the fine arts sector. The role of historian, appointed in April head of the "art" was to promote through its specific Fine Arts Department of the Art Directorate methods the message of the only party-state by the Soviet of the People’s Commissariat to the people, to educate this people in the of the newly created (on August 2, 1940) spirit of Marxism-Leninism, the hate Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. The towards the capitalism and imperialism. same Vasiliev was also the secretary of the The art had to be direct, accessible to the organizing committee of the Artists’ Union masses and totally subdued to the power. of the Moldavian Republic – Union which, The anachronistic hierarchy of the genres in that short period of time (before the and of the art species was reintroduced: beginning of the war), has not been thus, the thematic painting or the parade established anymore. It is worth mentioning portrait were considered superior and were that the officials from the Art Department better paid than the landscape or the still did not want to cooperate with the over life. This principle of the genre hierarchy 100 fine artists from Bessarabia who (that in fact existed in the aesthetics of registered voluntarily in the autumn of the European classicism of the 17th – 1940, especially because the fifth part of 18th century) was already considered them had excellent studies in the field of obsolete by the art theory from the 19th arts, made obviously abroad. There is no century; still, with the emergence of the doubt that the Soviet officials wanted to French impressionists (whose creation create an Artists’ Union according to the presents mostly landscapes and still lives) Soviet standard, and not a free association this theoretical discipline reevaluated of professional fine artists, in compliance radically its axiological criteria. As the only with the Western models. method of creation (in fact, the only style) The context in which the arts of the was accepted the socialist realism, as rightful Republic of Moldova developed in the descendant of the critical realism of the post-war period and in the following 19th century, but adapted to the new decades cannot be understood if we refer conditions of the 20th century. Those only to the territory of Bessarabia and do familiar with the evolution of the not take into account the complicated intellectual processes in the former USSR sociocultural processes that took place in know very well that the idea of method, in the big centers of former USSR. Being for relation to the phenomenon already called almost five decades totally isolated from by the art critique socialist realism, appears Romania, the Bessarabian culture did not relatively late. The recourse to the method – know the polemics between protochronists pardon my similitude with the title of the and synchronists, and the Bessarabian famous novel by Alejo Carpentier – was painting – the arguments between the made to hide the only style accepted in the supporters of the painter Baba and those of '40s – '50s, the style called now more and the painter Ciucurencu etc. Fine art in the more often by the Russian art historians as Moldavian Republic gravitated more Stalinist academism. This terminological 92 toward the great Soviet cities: mainly disguise of the rigid notion of style by a less

rigid notion with more labile borders and in the former USSR, the accusation made more difficult to define as it would be, for by the western politicians and men of example, the notion of method, was made in culture. Yet not all types of figurative or order to enlarge the area of expression of realist art from the former USSR (including the Soviet art (suffocated previously by the the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic) Stalinist period restrictions!) and to avoid become part of socialist realism ! the accusations of lack of freedom of creation

Fig. 26 – Mihail Petric, The Morning on the Dniester. 1957.

Fig. 27 – Aurel David, The Noon. 1964. 93

Fig. 28 – Serguey Chokolov, Decorative pot with three crests.1966.

94 Fig. 29 – Leonid Grigorashenko, The Massacre. 1972.

Fig. 30 – Alexandra Picunov-Târțău, The portrait of the painter Eleonora Romanescu. 1981.

Fig. 31 – Stepan Tuhari, Old man Agachi. Color linography.1961. 95

Fig. 32 – Ilia Bogdesco, Illustration of “Gulliver's Travels”by Jonathan Swift. 1978.

After August Baillayre’s departure to the rigorous selection and synthesis of Romania in 1944, the most important figure masses of light and shadow, treated in a of the School of Fine Arts in the post-war very generalized manner. The emphasis Chișinău was Ivan Hazov (1885-1967). A was not on the analysis, but on the former pupil of Konstantin Korovin at the synthesis, on the unity and the organicity of Superior School of Industrial Arts the motif. Thanks to this synthesis, the (currently Stroganov School) in Moscow, a works and, in particular, the studies seemed former member of the Association of the fresh and natural. Fragmentariness and Revolutionary Artists of Russia (AHRR) elaborate processing of unnecessary details and of the Regional Union of Artists of were thus eluded. Obviously, under the Moscow (the so-called MOSSH), Hazov conditions of the second half of the 1940s, made a name for himself due to his system when thematic painting – par excellence of teaching the painting and drawing narrative and encomiastic, which paid inspired by nature. His system promoted in special attention to insignificant details, as fact the realist painting but was in they were considered a guarantee of the opposition to the pseudo-realist style of the representation – had priority, Hazov’s socialist academism (often called Stalinist system was not likely to withstand the academism) supported by the Academy of restrictions imposed by the regime for a Arts of the USSR in the early post-war long time. Hazov himself was persecuted, 96 years. At the basis of Hazov’s system was marginalized, labelled as “formalist,” etc.

Fig. 33 – Gheorghe Vrabie, Illustration at fairy tale „Arap Alb” („The White Moor”) by Ion Creangă. 1967. 97

Fig. 34 – Isai Cârmu, The Mother. 1990.

Symptomatic for the realist-socialist contemporary who also embraced as portraiture of the Republic of Moldova in the sincerely as possible the doctrinal percepts 1950s and in the early 1960s is the creation of and the engaged pseudo-aesthetics of the so- the painter Konstantin Kitaika (1914-1962). called socialist realism. Born in 1886 in He graduated from the Institute of Arts in Kurliugovka village of the Elizavetgrad Moscow (Professor Pokarjevski’s class), and province (Ukraine), he subsequently moved later became a member of the M. V. Grekov to Tiraspol, in Transnistria, where he lived Military Art Studio. Kitaika’s parade or and taught fine arts until the day of his death equestrian portraits of Soviet commanders in 1973. Author of many thematic works, (Brigadier Grigory Kotovsky, Marshal praising festive compositions, bataille Georgy K. Zhukov, General I. V. Tutarinov landscapes and paintings, he also tried his and Colonel M. V. Turchaninov etc.) are hand in the field of the portrait genre, Self- particularly known. portrait of the Artist from the collection of Aleksandr Foinitzky was an older but still the National Art Museum of Moldova being 98 a more mediocre contemporary of Kitaika, a one of his best works.

Fig. 35 – Andrei Sârbu, If Through the Copper Woods You Pass... (Mihai Eminescu). 1989.

Fig. 36 – Mihai Potârniche, The Village Izvoare (district Fălești). Art photography. 1990. 99

Fig. 37 – Tudor Zbârnea, Petrified image. 1995.

100 Fig. 38 – Viktor Kuzmenko, Presence. 1994.

Fig. 39 – Iurie Matei, Source of infection. 2008.

Fig. 40 – Mihai Țăruș, Disintegration. 1991. 101

Fig. 41 – Simion Zamșa, Document graphics. 1996.

The most controversial in the whole Academy of Arts, the painter and graphic array of fine artists who – through their designer Leonid Grigorashenko (1924- art – served in good faith the communist 1995). Endowed with a phenomenal regime seems to have been the visual memory and sense of colours, correspondent member of the USSR an unparalleled master of complex 102

compositions with dozens of sophisticated Alexandru Plămădeală, Claudia Cobizev “knotted” figures, distributed on multiple excelled in portrait and relief. Her work, levels, an exceptional watercolourist, Head of Moldavian Woman, became an Grigorashenko was that child-wonder to anthological piece of the Bessarabian whom the Bessarabian experienced artist sculpture in the post-war years. Lazar and pedagogue August Baillayre predicted Dubinovschi studied art in Bucharest and a brilliant future. Unfortunately, most of the worked for a while in Paris. After World works of this corresponding member were War II, he became the most important contaminated by the virus of the absence of monumental sculptor in the Moldavian critical and objective evaluation of the Republic, paying tribute to the “committed” observed and painted phenomena. art or to the so-called “socialist realism.” Only when he approached historical themes However, in chamber works, where the neutral from the point of view of political influence of ideological factors was minor, connotations (the known painting Blood his innate talent and his good interwar Tribute, which remained unfinished!) training enabled him to create sculptures of or when he approached the biblical genuine value. Strâmbă-Lemne (The Wood- themes – towards the end of his life – Twister) composition – influenced by Grigorashenko’s innate talent fully Antoine Bourdelle’s Hercules the Archer manifested and glowed at maximum sculpture –, the portraits of the poet Andrei capacity. Lupan, of the architects Aleksei Shchusev, The generation of sculptors formed Guenady Solominov, the funeral alto-relief during the interwar period includes on his wife’s tomb (now vanished) are Claudia Cobizev (1905-1995) and Lazar works that denote the indisputable talent of Dubinovschi (1910-1982). Student of this fine artist.

Fig. 42 – Elena Karachentzev, Plus and minus. 2000. 103

Fig. 43 – Vlad Bolboceanu, Two objects of the "Non-Speaking" cycle. Porcelain. 1994.

The most profoundly affected by the Great National Assembly). The statue of the interferences of the ideology was the Bolshevik leader – a static, massive sculpture, monumental sculpture. Thus, in 1949, carved in red granite – corresponded entirely according to the model executed by the to the already established Soviet famous Soviet sculptor Serguey Merkurov, “iconography.” In 1991, being transferred to the monument of Vladimir I. Lenin (architects Moldexpo International Exhibition Center A. Shchusev and D. Turcheaninov) was and lacking the environment for which it was unveiled in Chișinău, at the centre of the conceived, the statue lost much of its original 104 Biruinţei Square (currently the Square of the monumentality.

Fig. 44 – Silvia Vrânceanu, Malanca”(Folk holiday celebrated on New Year's Eve).Tapestry.1971.

During the Soviet period, but in different In the 1950s, a series of busts of men of decades, two equestrian statues were also culture, especially of writers, were sculpted. erected on the territory of the Republic of Thus, on April 29, 1958, in the current Moldova: the monument of Grigory Stephen the Great Public Garden in Chișinău Kotovsky (1959) in Chișinău and the was inaugurated the sculptural ensemble monument of Aleksandr Suvorov (1979) in Alley of the Classics of the Romanian Tiraspol. The group of authors who designed Literature (then called Moldovan literature the monument of Kotovsky (L. Dubinovschi, by the authorities). Initially made up of K. Kitaika, I. Pershudchev, A. Posjado and twelve bronze busts, on polished red granite F. Naumov) drew inspiration from the pedestal, the alley was continued in the Renaissance equestrian statue of Colleoni, 1990s and the first decade of the twenty-first created by the famous Verrocchio sculptor in century by the inauguration of another Venice. The monument of the Russian sixteen busts. In 2010 and 2011, the general Suvorov was created by the sculptors sculptural ensemble was completed with the Viktor and Vladimir Artamonov and by the architects I. Druzhinin and I. Chisteakov in a busts of Grigore Vieru and Adrian Păunescu, dynamic manner specific to the Soviet contemporary poets. sculpture from the late 1970s to early 1980s. After the inauguration of the Alley of the Both monuments glorify the personality of Classics, there is a period when busts carry military commanders praised by Soviet again a pronounced ideological meaning. propaganda. Other examples of politically Thus, the busts of Karl Marx (sculptor A. engaged works are the monumental Maiko), Georgy Dimitrov (sculptor N. compositions dedicated to the The Heroes of Gorionyshev) and the Decembrist Mihail the Leninist Komsomol (1958-1959, sculptor Orlov (sculptor I. Canashin) were installed L. Dubinovschi, architect F. Naumov) and in Chișinău in the 1960s and 1970s, and in The Fighters for the Soviet Power in Moldova Bălți that of the writer Nikolai Ostrovski, (1966, sculptors I. Poniatovschi, L. Fitov, A. author of the propaganda novel So Was the Maiko). Steel Tempered (sculptor I. Davidovich). 105

Fig. 45 – Iurie Cibotaru, The "Guillotine" installation. Exhibition "Kilometer 6". Chisinau, 1997.

The end of the 1980s and the beginning of the bust of the writer Nicolae Costenco the 1990s are characterized by a return to the (sculptor B. Dubrovin), the surgeon Nicolae authentic values of the national art and Testemițanu (sculptor M. Spinei, architect G. culture. In this period of gaining and Sluris), the historian Nicolae Iorga (sculptor consolidating the independence of the M. Ecobici), the writer and encyclopaedist Republic of Moldova were created the statue Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu in the town of of Mihai Eminescu in the square of the Cahul (sculptor M. Spinei). During this National Theatre (sculptor T. Cataraga), the period the donations of artworks (including monument of Vasile Alecsandri in front of busts) to the Moldavian cities by some the National Library (sculptor I. Zderciuc), sculptors from Romania became frequent. 106

Fig. 46 – Valentin Vârtosu,The portrait of Eugène Ionesco. 1997. 107

Fig. 47 – Marc Verlan, The Globe of Moldova. 1997.

Censorship existing in post-war years difficulties in the perception of the work of made the artist’s freedom of expression art by the uninitiated spectator. Under such impossible. New trends of monumentalism circumstances unengaged artists and critics and decorativism in easel painting were had to resort to multiple subterfuges in severely criticized. The promoters of order to promote their creation. The party socialist realism saw monumentalism as a slogan saying that art should be socialist in subterfuge meant to replace action by content and national in form comprised a presentation and considered decorativism tiny “loophole” in the monolith wall of as an attempt to replace action by restrictive Soviet aesthetics. The second ornaments. Even metaphor in fine arts was part of this slogan, in which form was criticized. Engaged critics considered identified with the possibilities of metaphor as an attempt to substitute the expressing the national and ethnical spirit, direct message of the work of art by a offered plastic artists the opportunity to mediate message whose meaning becomes introduce abstract decorative elements in 108 allegorical or allusive, which can create their works and this choice would be

motivated by the actual existence of Grecu, Valentina Rusu-Ciobanu, Glebus abstract motifs in folk art as well as to Sainciuc, Igor Vieru, Ada Zevin, Ilia enrich chromatic palette. Another Bogdesco, Eleonora Romanescu, subterfuge, to which some liberal critics Vilhelmina Zazerskaia and others managed resorted, referred to the expansion of the to substantially emancipate the style and idea of realism as far as possible. It was, the thematic of their fine or decorative actually, a falsity, but one absolutely artworks. From a chronological point of necessary to enlarge the too narrow range view, this period of emancipation of the of expression of Soviet plastic art. But even arts coincided with the creation in the here the possibilities for maneuver were former USSR of the so-called “austere rather few. Official critics even started an style” – a reaction within the bounds of entire campaign to discredit the realist art to the dogmatism of “Stalinist “revisionist” Roger Garaudy and his book academism” of the 1940s and the 1950s. D'un réalisme sans rivages (About a Although the “austere style” in the Boundless Realism). Once with the Republic of Moldova did not take roots, the occupation of Bessarabia by the USSR, emergence of an art that was different from many of the Bessarabian plastic artists who everything promoted by the Academy of had been educated in inter-war Romania or Fine Arts of the USSR and by the “official had studied after 1944 (but were still ideology” played a positive role in those closely linked to the problematics of pre- years. Thus, far from the “austere style,” war art) had to change their style and the suggestive metaphor expressed by manner radically, subduing themselves to Mihail Grecu in the triptych Story of a Life the regime. The first fifteen years that enjoyed a well-earned success at the jubilee followed the Second World War were the exhibition (1967) in Moscow – dedicated to toughest years. It was not until the end of the 50th Anniversary of the October the sixth decade and the first half of the Revolution – and was declared by the seven decade of the last century that the Union criticism as the best painting of that generation of fine artists including Mihail decade.

Fig. 48 – Iurie Platon, Monument to the victims of the communist regime. Chișinău. Railway Station Square. 2013. 109

In the 1970s and 1980s a series of new the twentieth century). Formed in the phenomena appeared, such as the intellectual milieu of the Academy of Fine interference or even the fusion of languages Arts in Bucharest, a student of Nicolae belonging to different art genres of visual Dărăscu and Francisc Şirato, and later of arts; the aggressive, militant ideological Ivan Hazov at the School of Fine Arts in character of previous period exhibitions are Chișinău, the painter became known in the more often replaced by the festive USSR in the 1960s for some inspired “ecstasy” of Brezhnev’s era. This is the metaphorical paintings such as The Girls time when the easel painting rehabilitates from Ciadâr-Lunga (1960), The Recruits the values of the domestic, of the (1964-1965) and the triptych Story of a Life individual, etc. A problem which, from our (1966). In the second half of the 1970s and point of view, deserves to be approached during the 1980s, Mihail Grecu showed a with great attention is the phenomenon of deeper understanding of the archetypal the art of opposition to the official ideology values of folk art. To this period belong the (the so-called Soviet underground from the canvases inspired by the environment of the 1970s to the 1980s). Yet, we must admit Bessarabian peasants, suggestively entitled that, despite some attempts to renew the Stone Drain in Bugeac, Golden Bucket, The artistic language (such as Mihail Grecu or Oak, House in Bugeac, the famous cycle of Valentina Rusu-Ciobanu), in the Moldavian The Gates. Soviet Socialist Republic there was no Valentina Rusu-Ciobanu (born in 1920) genuine underground such as that in belongs to that generation of Bessarabian Moscow or St. Petersburg. The only artists who was also educated in the cultural manifestations of the opposition art on the environment of interwar Romania (during territory of Bessarabia were the scrap iron the war she was the student of professor installations from the Sculeni barrier Jean Cosmovici and of his assistant – the (authors Nicolae Ischimji, Valeri Moshkov future famous Romanian painter Corneliu with the participation of Yury Horovsky Baba – in Yassi) but whose creative activity and Valeriu Rotari) and the events of the took place in the second half of the group of alternative artists from Bălți twentieth century. By creating a new (Ştefan Sadovnic, Leonid Pinchevski etc.) poetics of the image, the artist embraced that did not raise the interest of art critics in the sincere manner of naive art, a manner in Chișinău. Partly, this phenomenon is due to which caricature, grotesque, mild humour the traditional lack of interest of were somehow in response to the clichés Bessarabian artists towards the “content” of and principles promoted by the regime. She the paintings and towards the social issues. successfully experimented in a Thus, in an interview given to Alexandru photorealistic manner and used the Schiopu, painter Andrei Sârbu mentioned: possibilities of intertextuality (such as the “In Bessarabia, the tradition of painting was painting Quotes from Art History), creating influenced by the French school, which was works with deep metaphorical meanings. not particularly interested in the issue of In paintings such as Pearls (1967) and content. For my generation and probably Portrait of a Gagauz Woman (1972) the for the previous one, it was important to get painter and art critic Ada Zevin (1918- rid of social narrativity. I have aimed to and 2005) – Valentina Rusu-Ciobanu’s colleague I am now to a painting without exterior of studies – demonstrated a profound implications ...” understanding of the decorative values of One of the most prominent figures of the folk art. painting in the Republic of Moldova was The portraits of her contemporaries, Mihail Grecu (1916-1988) – for more than especially of the intellectuals from the field half a century (starting with the post-war of culture and education, became the period and ending with the last decade of favorite painting genre of Glebus Sainciuc 110

(1919-2012). The artist is also known as The genre of the industrial landscape at the protagonist of a specific art genre: that time was embraced by Ivan Ershov mini-performances with the demonstration (1915-1986); in the “portrait” genre of self-made masks-caricatures, presenting excelled the painters Gheorghe Jankov his colleagues from the realm of art. (1921-1984), Olga Orlova (born in 1932) Painter Igor Vieru (1923-1988) made a and the graphic artist Stepan Tuhari (1928- name for himself as an inspired rhapsodist 1997); the tradition of the professional of the Bessarabian villages. At the same teaching of the fine arts was assured and time realist, symbolist and romantic, the transmitted to the young generation by the painter used the polyphonic valences of the painters-pedagogues Valeriu Puşcaş (1937- metaphor. The triptych Ion’s Happiness 1990), Stanislav Babiuc (1935), Boris (1967) is a reference work not only for the Kolomeetz (1936-2000) and Ion Serbinov artist’s creation, but also for the evolution (born in 1946). of the Moldavian painting of the 1970s. Born during or immediately after the The painting Something about Humans and Second World War, the painters Dimitrie Waters, completed in 1981, seems to be one Peichev (born in 1943), Mihail Statnâi of the most successful poetic and (born in 1942), Sergiu Galben (born in allegorical personifications in modern 1942), Ludmila Ţoncev (1946-2017), Bessarabian painting. Inessa Țâpin (1946-2013), Victor Hristov For many generations of art lovers from (born in 1946) and Valentina Bahcevan Moldova, Mihail Petric (1923-2005) will (born in 1948) contributed, each in his/her remain the most representative master of own way, to the beginning of a deeply the “panoramic” Bessarabian landscape. passionate, emotive and energetic manner His paintings The Morning on the Dniester in easel painting. (1957) and The Road to Codru (1959) have An intellectual artist and an extremely gained certain symbolic valences in time, refined painter, Andrei Sârbu (1950-2000) becoming nowadays true “visiting cards” of is the personality that “guarantees” the the Prut-Dniester region. strength of the bridge built between the art The artists from the generation of the of the older painters of the interwar end of 1960s and 1970s include the talented generation and the experiences of the colourists Ana Baranovici (1906-2002) and contemporary artists, already formed in the Ion Jumati (1909-1997), as well as the years of Gorbachev’s perestroika. Mihail younger – born in the interwar period – Grecu’s disciple, Andrei Sârbu succeeded Nichita Bahcevan (1919-1996), Eleonora in make a name for himself both through Romanescu (born in 1926), Vilhelmina his fascinating “non-figurative” visions and Zazerskaia (born in 1927), Alexei through his works in the style of pop-art, Katalnikov (born in 1929), Yury Shibaev photographic realism or lyrical abstraction (1930 – 1986), Alexei Novicov (born in (such as the painting If Through the Copper 1931), Vasile Cojocaru (1932-2012), Woods You Pass...). Subjugated, at first Filimon Hămuraru (1932-2006), Elena glance, by the mystery of the monotony of Bontea (born in 1933), Gheorghe Munteanu painted surfaces, Andrei Sârbu “brings life” (born in 1934), Emil Childescu (born in into his canvases spontaneously: through 1937), Ion Stepanov (born in 1937), Vasile rhythm, chromatic alternations, texture, etc. Naşcu (born in 1939), Victor Tretiacenco For Sârbu, the non-subordination of the (1937-1979), Sergiu Cuciuc (born in 1940), artist’s gesture in relation to the restrictive Ion Chitoroagă (born in 1940). To the same “court” of reason is decisive. This is, in generation belonged also the painter, fact, a fundamental principle of purely graphic designer and muralist Aurel David intuitive creation, in which the (1935-1984), author of the well-known transcendence descends unconsciously into Noon painting (1964). the sphere of the material world. With 111

barely perceptible passages from one tone known especially for the monument of to another or with violent impulsive brush Metropolitan Petru Movilă from Chișinău, strokes, through a restrictive chromatic carved in stone and inaugurated in 1996. (grisaille-generating) or with kaleidoscopic An indisputable success of sculptor Iurie displays of the entire Newtonian spectrum, Canaşin (born in 1939) is the Monument of Andrei Sârbu’s painting possesses the Heroes Fallen during the Armed absolutely an unmistakable language and Conflict in Transnistria, erected in 1998 on architecture. the territory of the Eternitate Memorial The ascetic and purged forms promoted Complex in Chișinău. by Mihai Ţăruş (born in 1948) in the Premature death did not allow the creations of the last two decades prove a sculptor Valeriu Rotari (1945-1986) to refined taste and complex problem issues, show all his talent. We should mention that specific to the 1980s and 1990s generations. his works from the middle of the 80s Tudor Zbârnea’s paintings of the last played a decisive role in the evolution of fifteen years reveal an overwhelming role the modern sculpture of Bessarabia and its of the mythical dimension of history. The liberation from the “stereotypes” of the creations of this artist (born in 1955) are engaged aesthetics. characterized by compositional complexity Yury Horovsky (born in 1946), a and subtle chromatic orchestrations. colleague of generation and workshop with The dream world and the objective Valeriu Rotari while he lived in Chișinău, reality are the two poles that orientate the renewed significantly the sculpture means painting of Iurie Matei (born in 1968). His of expression and chose an authentic paintings, of surrealistic inspiration – opening towards the language, the issues through the attention paid to some key and philosophy of the contemporary art. images in the world’s history of the arts –, The sculptors Tudor Cataraga (1956- successfully exploit the trans-textuality of 2010), Ion Zderciuc (born in 1957) and the quotation and tend to fit into the current Valentin Vârtosu (born in 1962) debuted in post-modern cultural paradigm. the second half of the 1980s. Each of them Alexandra Picunov-Târțău (1928-2002) has developed his own artistic language. belongs to the generation of sculptors formed Thus, Valentin Vârţosu – in some works, in the immediate post-war generation. such as The portrait of Eugène Ionesco or Endowed with a special sense of monumental The Illuminated Cactus – is ironic, while form and authentic decorative spirit, the Tudor Cataraga – in the composition sculptor managed to merge these two Archaeology – is “retrospective” and Ion qualities in an unmistakable symbiosis with Zderciuc – in Eminescu-The Morning Star certain philosophical connotations. – is romantic and spontaneous. One of the most inspired works of Naum The artist Mircea Pușcaș (born in 1967) Epelbaum (born in 1927) is the memorial dedicated to the memory of the victims in the belongs to generations of Bessarabian ghetto in Chișinău (1993). This monument of sculptors who began to make a name for modest size, located on Jerusalem Street, themselves in the 90s of the last century. seems to be one of the most expressive Approaching both traditional sculpture and sculptures of the Moldavian capital. alternative art, in many of his creations Brunhilda Epelbaum-Marcenco (born in Mircea Puşcaş uses a hermetically 1927) excelled in the field of sculptural language, letting the viewer to decrypt the portraits. The image of the artist Maria message of the opera on his/her own. Sagaidac, carved in wood in 1979, can be One of the most important calligraphers considered one of the great achievements of and book illustrators in Bessarabia was the the portrait genre in Bessarabian fine art. graphic artist Ilia Bogdesco (1923-2010). The sculptors Galina Dubrovin (1938- Well-known in the Union and international arena, he was the only artist in the Republic 112 1997) and Boris Dubrovin (1939-2013) are

of Moldova who was elected member of the middle of the twentieth century the Academy of Arts of the former USSR. His functional aspect or, at least, allegedly illustrations to Mioriţa [The Little Ewe functional, continued to play a dominant Lamb] ballad became truly anthological – role in the field of decorative arts. Thus, if as well as those to a series of works of the we compare the works of the well-known patrimony of universal literature: The ceramist Serguey Chokolov (1892-1977) Pouch with Two Coins by Ion Creangă, The from Chișinău in the 1940s or early 1950s Gypsies by Aleksandr S. Pushkin, The to the works made in the 1960s, we can Praise of Folly by Erasmus of Rotterdam, notice a radical change of concept: the Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, Don decorative force and the expressionist Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes etc. abstraction of the late works overcome the The graphic designers of the “middle” concern for the initial applicative purpose generation – Emil Childescu (born in 1937), of ceramics. Gheorghe Vrabie (1939-2016), Isai Cârmu A similar situation is in the case of the (1940-2015) and Alexei Colâbneac (born in comparison of the creations made by the 1943) – were formed in the 1960s. Expanding artists of the older generation – formed the possibilities of the language of book and until the Second World War (such as easel graphics, they have also succeeded in V. Neceaev, I. Postolachi, etc.), – to those imposing the aesthetic priority in art. belonging to the artists who debuted in the The use of the suggestive metaphor, the 1960s and 1970s. Thus, we can see that concern for the quality of the texture of the Valentina Neceaev’s (1909-1977) ceramic sheet of paper are just a few coordinates or terracotta works are still under the around which gravitates the creation of the influence of folk art. The work of Nicolae graphic artists Simion Zamşa (born in Coţofan (born in 1939), a representative of 1958) and Elena Karachentzev (born in the generation of the first post-war decades, 1960), both graduates from “Ilia E. Repin” is a synthesis between the language of the Institute of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg. ceramics belonging to the ancient In the last decades, the possibilities of archaeological culture of the Moldovian expression in graphic art have been greatly territory (Cucuteni-Tripolie etc.) and the expanded. Due to the development of language of the traditional art folklore. digitization of printing methods, of the Mihai Grati (1933-2005) – another growing impact of industrial design, this representative of the generation of post-war old art genre knows a true revival. At artists – used mainly chamotte and present, the qualities and possibilities organically combined the image with offered by the raw material on which the narrative subject (more specific to painting, image is printed – the paper – have gained graphics or sculpture) with the more special importance. Workshops dedicated abstract language of decorative art. to the preparation of various types of paper Interesting processes take place in the 70s- for the needs of the easel or book graphics 80s in the field of “monumental” ceramics. have already become a tradition in the Analyzing the immense figurative artistic environment of Chișinău. compositions made by Luiza Iantzen (born For centuries, the pottery and the art of in 1936) in the Palace of the Republic or in traditional carpet have belonged to the field the Circus building in Chișinău, it can be of folk craftsmanship and have had a noticed that ceramics is increasingly giving particularly applicative value and way the strictly applicative character in functionality. The autonomy of these arts favour of the “sculptural-decorative” spirit. emerge in Bessarabia only towards the end For two decades (1970s-1980s), Filip of the nineteenth century, with the Nutovici (born in 1920) was a famous name establishment of professional artistic in the field of artistically processed glass. education in the country. But until the Initially alone, then with the help of his son 113

Alexandru, the artist contributed essentially The russification policy, originally to the interior design of a series of public promoted by the Tsarist authorities, and edifices: Friendship Hall (the current Palace subsequently taken over by the Soviet of the Republic) and the Supreme Soviet authorities, aimed to supress the identity Building (the current Presidency of the trends of the non-Russian nations of the Republic of Moldova). former Soviet Socialist Republic. However, Particular fineness in terms of texture this fact determined the increased interest and chromaticity characterizes the pieces of of the intellectuals in the former Union porcelain, faience or ceramics made by the republics in the identity dimension, the late Vlad Bolboceanu (1956-2004) and by autochthonous languages, history, traditions Irina Filip (born in 1972), who made a and culture. name for themselves in the second half of In the context of the democratization the 1990s. Equally unprecedented are the created by perestroika, the Writers’ Union works in artistic glass technique by Virgil of Moldova submitted the project of the Tecuci (born in 1961), a graduate of the new linguistic legislation, meant to give the Tallinn Academy of Arts. Romanian language the status of state In the middle and in the late 1960s, language on the territory of the Republic. innovative processes emerged not only in After many debates and hostilities painting or graphics but also in decorative generated both by the nomenclature arts. The tapestries by Maria Saca-Răcilă opposition (local and central) and by a large (born in 1941), Elena Rotaru (born in 1938) part of the Russian-speaking population on and Silvia Vrânceanu (born in 1940) were August 31, 1989, the Constitution of the largely discussed in the Union press, being Republic of Moldova was completed with often associated with the phrase the the article on the status and principles of Moldovan school of artistic Gobelin functioning of the state language. In the tapestry. These remarkable artists have exhibition hall of the Union of Artists of made the Moldovan rugs famous far across Moldova, in addition to the traditional the borders of the republic. Younger, but no Autumn Salon and Spring Salon, Our less talented, seems to be the author of Romanian Language Exhibition was Gobelin tapestry, the painter and graphic opened on an annual basis. Art exhibitions designer Andrei Negură (born in 1956). A dedicated to the classic Romanian literature graduate of the Academy of Decorative writer Mihai Eminescu began to be Arts in Budapest, the artist has managed to organized (the first was in 1989). The go far beyond the language of traditional Salons of Moldova – these exhibitions of tapestry. the painters on both sides of the Prut, which The situation created in the last years of were held in Bacău (Romania) and Gorbachev’s perestroika and in the first Chișinău (the Republic of Moldova) – years of state independence of the Republic became a recurrent event. At the first of Moldova radically altered the exhibition of the Salons of Moldova, functioning structures of culture in general inaugurated in July 1991 in Bacău, 135 and of visual arts in particular. Ideological works by 74 authors were displayed, and censorship and the selection commissions seven prizes were awarded by different (on political criteria!) of the works for organizations from Romania and Moldova. exhibitions disappeared. Discussions on the Mihail Grecu’s painting In the Memory of synchronization of the artistic process in the Ancestors was awarded the Grand Prize the Republic with the European and world of the Ministry of Culture in Romania. artistic processes began. Yet, there were no Parallel to the exhibitions organized at more advantageous orders given to the Fine the Union of Fine Artists, various group Arts Fund by ex-ministries, state-owned and personal exhibitions were carried out in enterprises, or collective households. various galleries. During the transition 114

period, the first private art galleries were Bucharest in 1993). Painter Andrei Sârbu opened, trying (to a greater or lesser became the spokesman for this group. In extent!) to promote innovative works: Sud-Est (Southeast) magazine (no. 1 of “Elita,” “Coral,” “L,” “Aorta” etc. 1993, p. 33), he defined the tasks of the At the end of the 1980s and at the group as follows: “What seems to me to be beginning of the 1990s the first parallel or significant in this manifestation of culture – alternative groups to the Union of Artists the exhibition of Ten Group – is the emerged. The Phantom Group was formed consistency of the attachment to the at the beginning of 1990 and had the first modern forms of expression, the fine exhibitions in February-March of the same artists’ connection to the current context of year at the Picture Gallery of Ismail city, at universal culture... We hope that Ten Group the Friendship Hall in Chișinău in June, and will also stimulate an instantaneous process in July-August at the headquarters of the of formation of groups and re-groups, the Exhibition of the National Economy association and dissociation of artists, ideas Achievements of the Republic of Moldova. and tendencies, the ultimate goal being the The group included – in different time freedom of creation and not the periods – the fine artists Viktor Kuzmenko reconstruction of a guild guided by the old (the leader of the group), Igor Șcerbina, ideology. At the same time, this contributes Vladimir Palamarciuk, Yury Klementiev, to the refreshment, the revival, the radical Ivan Kavtea, Ernesta Freudzon, Victor change of our fine art thinking, severely Guțu, Lidia Mudrac and the art critic affected by a long stagnation.” Natalia Ponomariova. The name Phantom Unfortunately, Sârbu’s wishes did not was based on the message promoted by the come true. The difficulties of the current group: eluding as much as possible the transition period of the Republic of objective reality and reflecting in art only Moldova, the total indifference of many the subjective, immaterial ideas of the cultural institutions in Chișinău, the lack of creator. Another problem that animated the sponsorship, and the fact that a good part of members of the group was the overcoming the artists were still anchored to old of the provincialism of Bessarabian artistic stereotypes, made impossible the thinking and the aspiration of connecting to emergence of serious groups of creators and synchronizing with the trends of world and thus the diversification of the artistic art. One of the most important exhibitions life. With the exception of alternative of Phantom was in August 1992 at the events (such as the events of the Soros Central Hall of the Union of Artists of Center for Contemporary Art), largely due Moldova (the current Constantin Brâncuşi to the phenomena of enculturation, Exhibition Centre). The last exhibition – Bessarabia remained outside the free after which the group, for various reasons, association of creators based on ideas. broke up – was in 1993 at the National Art Moreover, even Ten group, after three Museum of Moldova. exhibitions – in Chișinău, Bucharest and At the end of 1991, Ten Group was Ancona (Italy) – ceases to work. The created. The name of this group – without exhibition of the same group, which was symbolic connotations – indicated the organized ten years later (in 2002), initial number of its members: Andrei demonstrated once again the divergence of Sârbu, Dumitru Bolboceanu, Anatol messages promoted by each of the former (Nicolae) Rurac, Victor Hristov, Ilie members of the group. The reasons for the Cojocaru, Tudor Zbârnea, Andrei Mudrea, disintegration of this group are easy to Vasile Moșanu, Iurie Platon, Dimitrie explain. There has never been a common Peichev – one the last exhibited within the aesthetic platform that could coagulate all group only at the exhibition at the ¾ Floor the artists of the group. In fact, as some art Galleries at the National Theatre in critics noted, the exhibitions organized by 115

the group were “some meetings of solitary, Soros Foundation in Moldova. Unlike the scattered identities, some personal mini- Soros foundations in other post-socialist exhibitions which did not betray in any way countries, the Moldavian Foundation their authors’ adherence to a common (between 1995 and 2005) played a leading platform necessary for teamwork” role in the promotion of contemporary (Vladimir Bulat, Artă și ideologie [Art and visual arts, largely replacing the Ministry of Ideology], Chișinău, Cartier Publishing Culture and other national bodies designed House,” 2000, p. 150). to support the arts. Obviously, the A certain role in the failure of these phenomenon of “hurrying” the access to the groups was probably played by the benefits of modern civilization with its extremely uncertain situation referring to developed technologies – not always fit for the status and role of art in contemporary a way of life and thinking that had been civilization. Fine artists from the former secluded for more than half a century in a socialist countries, accustomed either to “totalitarian reservation” – still has many faithfully obey certain ethical-aesthetic obstacles to face. These obstacles are doctrines, or to fight against them related to the immense discrepancies vehemently, were totally disoriented in a currently existing in the daily realities of world of tolerance and of total lack of a the Republic of Moldova: the economic and dominant artistic theory. This was the cultural gap between the capital and the Western world of art that our artists faced province, between the city and the village, in the late 1980s. In this regard, Jacques the exacerbated polarization of the material Aumont, the theorist of cinema, in the situation, the conflict of mentalities and French magazine “Hors cadre” (no. 7, ages, the segmentation of the demographic 1989, pp. 199-203) commented upon the structure of the population, the massive situation in the visual arts of the eighth migration abroad of those who are able to decade of the last century: “First of all, work, etc. However, what at first was there is no dominant theory (in visual arts – regarded as a mere act of artificial CC); moreover, there is no clearly defined enculturation really helped the youth to theory. There is nothing that could promote a professional artistic discourse at be compared to Freudo-Marxism, the level of the new imperatives of time. psychoanalysis or semiotics of the 1960s The heterogeneous optics of receiving some and 1970s. If today there is any dominant so-called hermetic initiatives or the elitism scientific discourse, this is the discourse of of publications such as Art-hoc did not, history: a problematic discourse by its very however, prevent the Soros Foundation in nature, with enormous difficulties in self- Moldova and its affiliated institutions from defining.” generating, structuring and promoting This discourse of history – also present (through the artists they have supported!) in Andrei Sârbu’s last works (in Archeo an approach complementary to that of the series) – has acquired ethnographic and Union of Artists. This approach was folkloric shades in the works of several absolutely necessary in the mid-1990s, in Bessarabian 80s and 90s painters not the conditions of the lability of the artistic affiliated to the artistic groups alternative to groups and of the homogenizing centralism the Union of Artists. It can be traced in of the only organization of the fine artists paintings by Mihai Jomir, Petru Jireghea, from the Republic at that time – an Ghenadie Jalbă, Gheorghe Oprea, Natalia organization that had barely escaped from Bichir, Timotei Bătrânu, Vasile Dohotaru, censorship and ideological control. Eudochia Zavtur, Ștefan Beiu. Even if some of the “major” objectives Special attention should be paid to the of the Soros Center launched fifteen-twenty activity on the territory of the Republic of years ago could seem puerile today, the Moldova of organizations affiliated to heterogenous projects related, first of all, to 116

the idea of opening towards a tolerant the creation of a climate favourable to the European civilization in its pluriculturalism free expression of the artists who practice seem entirely valid. These include projects the most diverse creative methods and the such as Kilometer 6, Kinovari (Сinnabar), funding of such manifestations that, Invasion, Meditations from Tzara: without economic support, would have Reflections in Re- and, most importantly, been impossible to achieve.

1 Braga T., Alexandru Plămădeală, Chișinău, 19 Ploșniță E., Muzeul basarabean în fluxul istoriei, Notes 2006. Chișinău, 1998. 2 Brigalda-Barbas E., Evoluţia picturii de gen din 20 Simac A., Tapiseria contemporană din Republica Moldova, Chişinău, 2002. 3 Republica Moldova, Chişinău, 2001. Brigalda-Barbas E., Pavel Şillingovschi, 21 Spânu C., Emil Childescu, Chișinău, 2005. Chişinău, 2005. 22 Stavilă T., Ciobanu C. Diaconescu T., 4 Brigalda-Barbas E., Igor Vieru, Chişinău, 2006. 5 Bulat V., Lazăr Dubinovschi, Chișinău, 2003. Patrimoniul cultural al Republicii Moldova, Chişinău, 6 1999. Bulat V., O antologie a picturii moldovenești, 23 Chișinău, 2015. Stavilă T., Arta plastică din basarabia de la 7 Calașnicov I., Leonid Grigorașenco, Chișinău, sfârșitul secolului al XIX-lea – începutul secolului XX, 2005. Chișinău, 1990. 8 Ciobanu C., Stavilă T., Icoane vechi din 24 Stavilă T., Muzeul de Stat de Arte Plastice al colecţii basarabene,Chişinău, 2000 . RSS Moldova, Chișinău, 1990. 9 Ciobanu C., Valentina Rusu-Ciobanu,Chişinău, 25 Stavilă T., Arta plastică modernă din Basarabia 2003. 10 (1887 – 1940), Chişinău, 2000. Ciobanu C., Andrei Sârbu, Chişinău, 2005. 26 11 Stavilă T., Eugenia Maleşevschi, Chişinău, Ciobanu C., Mihail Petric, Chişinău, 2007. 2002. 12 Ciobanu C., Muzeul Național de Artă al 27 Stavilă T., August Baillayre, Chişinău, 2004. Moldovei: Colecția Pictură Națională, Chișinău, 28 Stavilă T., Theodor Kiriacoff, Chişinău, 2006. 2014. 29 13 Ciobanu C., Un secol de artă prin Stavilă T., Icoana basarabeană din secolul XIX, personalități, studiu introductiv la antologia Arta Chișinău, 2011. maeștrilor basarabeni din secolul XX, Chișinău, 30 Toma L., Moisey Gamburd, Chişinău/Tel Aviv, 2015. 1998. 14 Cuciuc S., Lifşiţ M., Gleb Sainciuc, Chişinău, 31 Toma L., Portretul în pictura moldovenească 1975. (anii 1940 – 1970), Chișinău, 1983 (in Russian). 15 Golțov D., Ilia Bogdesco, Moscow, 1987 (in 32 Toma L., Mihail Grecu, Chişinău, 2005. Russian). 33 Toma L., Dumitru Sevastian, Chișinău, 2012. 16 Lifșiț M., Lazăr Dubinovschi. Sculptura,Moscow, 34 Vasilieva N., Serghei Ciokolov, Chișinău, 2004. 1987 (in Russian). 35 17 Literatura şi Arta Moldovei. Enciclopedie, Vol. 1- Vida G., Nina Arbore, Chișinău, 2004. 36 Vlasiu I., Milița Petrașcu, Chișinău, 2004. 2, Chișinău, 1985 - 1986. 37 18 Marian A., Sculptura contemporană din Vrabie Gh., Aurel David. Timpul, artistul și Moldova, Chişinău, 2007. opera, Chişinău, 2004.

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