“The Little Union”: Making and Painting History

Each year on January 24 Romanians remember a crucial moment in their history. By electing Colonel Alexandru Ioan Cuza as head of both states, the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia were de facto united despite the opposition of the Great Powers unwilling to see a stronger country emerge at the mouth of the Danube. With a stroke of political genius, “the Little Union” was accomplished in 1859, thus paving  the way to the great unification of 1918, which brought together all Romanian provinces. We recall this fantastic achievement by examining how it was mirrored by a work of art that would later gain iconic status: "The Proclamation of the Union of the Principalities”, which was painted by Theodor Aman, one of the founders of Romanian modern art, when history was still in the making.

Text and video presentation by Cristina Păiușan Nuică. Film concept by Bogdan Opreanu.

Watch on our Facebook, YouTube, IGTV and website on Monday, January 24 at 2 p.m. EST or anytime later!

Historian CRISTINA PĂIUȘAN-NUICĂ is currently a researcher at the National History Museum of Romania. She has edited numerous publications, such as Historia (2005-2009), History and Civilization (2009-2013) and Historical Magazine (2013-2016). She has curated many national and international exhibitions opened in Asgabat, Turkmenistan (2017), Toledo, Spain (2018) and London, UK (2018);  Dr. Păiușan-Nuică is the editorial secretary of the National Museum Magazine and has recently co-authored Orașele Unirii. Chișinău, Cernăuți, Alba Iulia, București / The cities of the Union. Chisinew, Chernivtsi, Alba Iulia, Bucharest (2018); Basarabia. 100 de ani de la unirea cu România / Bessarabia. 100 Years since the Union with Romania (2019); Epoca Ceaușescu în piesele Muzeului Național de Artă Contemporană / The Ceaușescu Era in the Works of the National Museum of Contemporary Art (2019).  

This episode of THE HISTORY OF ROMANIA IN ONE OBJECT was made in partnership with The National History Museum of Romania.