Theodor Aman was one of the most important Romanian painters during the 19th century. His contribution to the history of the Romanian art is complemented by the fact Theodor Aman also founded the first schools of fine arts in the country. At the same time, Theodor Aman is remarkable for his efforts of aligning the Romanian art to the modern European standards of this time.
Background
Theodor Aman was born on March 20, 1831 in Campulung-Muscel. His father was a cavalry commander from Craiova but he was born in Câmpulung, where his family had fled to escape the plague. He was born in the family of a wealthy merchant, Dimitrie Dimo (nicknamed Aman) of cotevlah (Macedonian) origin, who was raised to the ranks of the sergeant (commander of the army and especially cavalry) in 1818 by Ioan Vodă Caragea. His mother, of Greek origin, Despina (groaned Pepica), was born in Paris. Aman was raised to the rank of boyar by the ruler Barbu Ştirbei in 1856, being rewarded for his efforts in the field of arts. He had four brothers: Sevastia, Alexandru, Iorgu and Ruxandra.
Education
Theodor Aman attended the courses of the Central School in Craiova where he took drawing lessons in the class of professor Constantin Lecca, after which he enrolled in the courses of the St. Sava College in Bucharest in the class of Professor Carol Wallenstein. Between 1850 and 1857 he settled in Paris, where he studied painting in 1850 with Michel Martin Drolling, then, in 1851, with François-Édouard Picot.
At first Theodor Aman lived in the Latin Quarter - the student center of Paris - in an attic at the Hotel de l'Empereur Joseph, above the café Fayot, frequented by many young Romanians. Probably in this modest room he still did not have his own workshop and only later when he moved to Lafazette no. 3, he would install his first workshop, which appeared in the 1852 painting.
He was a good friend and companion in need, looking for society and loving parties, but he did not waste his time: painting during the day, and in the evenings he went to the theater or was diving into reading. Aman was a friend here with Iscoveanu, Bolintineanu, Bolliac. In order to choose the themes, Aman always addressed Nicolae Balcescu whose writings suggested to the painter and the patriotic conception of art, while at the same time serving him for a realistic orientation closer to the historical truth of the historical stage he wanted to present.
In 1853 he attended the Main Salon in Paris. Aman portrayed himself here as a mature, self-confident, dignified artist. At the beginning of the following year, Aman was painting the "Battle of Oltenita", an episode of the war that broke out a few months ago between Russians and Turks. At that time Aman had some ties with Vasile Alecsandri, illustrating the poem "Horror."
In 1854, Aman traveled to Constantinople in order to present the sultan's painting "The Battle of Oltenita." For the first time in the Mediterranean and the picturesque coastline of the Aegean Sea, all this, as well as the strange customs of the Orient, made him a strong impression, mirrored in many of his drawings since then, as well as some paintings later on. On the bank of the Bosphorus, Aman had the opportunity to visit Barbu Iscovescu repeatedly.
After two and a half months of stay in Constantinople, where he was in the starship received by the sultan who had bought the painting, Aman left for the Crimea. The artist's pause in the crime offered him the possibility to execute many significant and interesting sketches, in which he could see characteristic types of Cossacks and people, whom he had studied indefinitely.
From Crimea, Aman returned to Constantinople and from here to France. In the last months of 1855, the artist returned to the country until the spring of 1856 when the ruler Barbu Stirbei adviseed him to return to Paris. Thus, he returned to France, painting the small "Woman in Black Dress" portrait related to him with the "Lady with the Dog", painted six years later. Everything changed in comparison period in dating and "Portrait of a man."
In 1857, Aman attended the Parizian Salon where he presented two papers: "Hunters and Zuavi in front of Sevastopol" and "Gypsy of Walachia." Aman's definitive return to the Principalities and his establishment in the capital occurred in September 1858. In 1859, Aman painted the "Battle of the Romans with the Turks on the island of Saint George near Giugiu" in 1595 evoking the bravery of the people in the struggle against the Ottoman yoke. Aman also began to carve in wood in the face of furniture decorations such as the Gothic cabinet for his future home. Thus, in 1859 he made the portrait of Princess Zoe Brancoveanu, the work that can be considered one of the heroes of the procretistic mastery of Theodor Aman.
In 1859, he took steps alongside Eforia Scoala, led by Ioan Maiorescu, to set up a School of Fine Arts designed to uncover and form the young talents out of the ranks of the people. His work was also joined by the painter Gheorghe Tattarescu, who was even presenting a project of the school. At Aman's suggestion, and under the influence of the atmosphere around the project, the press supported the founding of the School of Fine Arts, showing the cultural contribution that such an institution could bring. But it was only after the coup of May 2, 1864, when the reform of education was made, and the creation of the School of Fine Arts in Bucharest, whose creation decree Alexandru Ioan Cuya signed on October 5, 1864, appointing him director.
Between 1859 and 1865 Theodor Aman's work was very rich. Although he has painted many portraits, his attention remained primarily on the historical compositions, and he was very encouraged in this direction by Dimitrie Bolintineanu as his minister of public instruction. Under the reign of Cuza and his counselor Kogalniceanu, Aman felt the breath of a strong national redesign. Putting on the plan first the autonomy and dignity of the entire nation, it was in fact a first step towards independence. This explains the execution in these years of important historical paintings inspired by the old chronicles or legends: "Battle of Plotin" 1861, "After the Battle of Rusciuc" 1862, "Vlad Tepes and the Turks" 1863, "Mihai Viteau" 1864," Mihai Viteazu on the head of Andrei Bathory" 1865," The Battle of Vlad the Impaler" 1866.
Aman took part in any work that concerned the development of arts or cultural status in the country. Among other things, he helped C. Esarcu much at the Athenaeum. In 1865, Romania was preparing to take part in the Exposition in Paris on 1867 and General Florescu, as Minister of Internal Affairs, Agriculture and Public Works, instituted on October 5 a commission composed of Prince, Neculae Baleanu, Colonel Voinescu, Simion Marcovi, Alex Odobescu, Baligot de Bayne, Dr. Davila, Colonel Hert, Alex, Costinescu, Vinterhalder, Ion Ionescu, PS Aurelian, Foulquier Blanc, and Theodor Aman.
On August 1, 1866, the Fine Arts Schools in Bucharest and Iasi were closed by the Reaction Government under the pretext of budget economics. Aman did not give up the instinct he had set up, but for eight months, he maintained it, contributing to the scholarships of the poor students, and persuading the teachers to give classes for free.
In May 1868, the second "Exhibition of the Artists in Life" was opened. On this occasion, Aman exhibited many portraits "Hora de peste Olt" and the historical compositions "Mihai Viteazu on the head of Andrei Bathory", “Vlad the Impaler's facade battle", and "Alexandru Lapusneanu pointing to his wife the heads of the boyars killed", obtaining from the jury the Medal of Honor. In 1869, the painter exhibited a series of canvases in Craiova, at an industrial exhibition that opened there for six days. There were some older paintings of Alexandru Aman's collection, his portraits and his wife, the portrait of old Pepica (his mother) and probably some of the other brothers belonging to Iorgu.
Starting with the years 1870 - 1871, we see the maturity period of the artist. Aman had so far exiled a workshop painter, but now outdoor painting was much more important. In 1872 Aman began to grave. Having managed to bring a press and material to Paris in May of the same year, Aman has been consecrated from now on with much perseverance in engraving, being amongst the first artists who practiced this art.
Aman's engraving activity took place between 1872 and 1881. On September 26, 1885, his brother Alexander died suddenly in Paris. Three years before the other brother, Iorgu, died. A painting of Aman in 1885 kept the chapters of the three brothers, tied around the table, in the artist's studio. Alexander's death was a heavy blow to Theodor. He had bound him with a deep, honest affection, trust and mutual esteem. He lost in his brother a friend and confidant.
In the last years of his life, Theodor Aman gave us some valuable works. Among them is the historical composition "The Boier surprise at the feast of Vlad the Impaler." It puts in value all his progressions until then, powerful realism of his art. Other works representative of this period are: "Portrait of a woman", "Gypsy" (1884), "Self-portrait", "Ball costume in the workshop", "The artist's great workshop", "After the picking of the vine", "On the terrace in Sinaia."Lately, he was working harder, getting worse and worse about the illnesses. In the spring of 1891, a serious misconduct by doctors in the application of the tremendous was to tame him forever in bed. On August 19, 1891 he died.
Years of study spent in the midst of the Roman revolutionary refugees in Paris had a decisive influence on the young painter, developing his patriotic consciousness, setting him the conviction that art should serve the people, educate them, glorify their heroism, expressing its ideals. As a historical painter, he glorified the heroism of the people, strengthening his confidence in his own forces and contributing to the formation of his patriotic consciousness.
Interests
Writers
Descartes, Voltaire and Hugo, or Dante and Petrarca
Artists
Rubens, Velazques, Salvator Rosa and Watteau
Connections
In a ball of January 24, 1861, he met Ana Niculescu-Dorobantu, born Politely, a very beautiful woman, ten years younger than him. On April 15, 1865, the two married. Autumn of 1879 brought to Theodor Aman events that made him both in the family and outside, many troubles. One of the causes of that was the marriage of Zoia, his daughter, which was according to the tradition of the society at that time, was not the choice of the parties, but the parents' decision, Ana's. Zoe got married to Costica Ioan, the son of a rich merchant from Ploiesti. Like her mother, Zoie escaped after two years of a conventional marriage, and although she had two children, she left her husband to devote herself to art. Zoe had a charming voice and hoped to become the singer. She left for Rome in 1883, where she started acting in "Faust" under the name of Zina de Nory.