DOI Artikel:
Țoca, Vlad: Romanian art historiography in the interwar period: between the search for scholarship and commitmenr to a cause
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52521#0099
Vlad Toga
5
ROMANIAN ART HISTORIOGRAPHY
IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD.
BETWEEN THE SEARCH FOR SCHOLARSHIP
AND COMMITMENT TO A CAUSE
In Romania, the interwar period was a period of great effervescence, of dra-
matic changes and of great development in social and economic terms. In the
wake of World War I, Romania emerged as a large nation-state incorporating
new territories such as Transylvania, Bessarabia and Bukovina. The period
saw the rise of the middle class, still relatively small, but which became an
important force in both the economic and political life of the country1 The
new mling classes after the war experimented with new ideas in the economy,
in politics, in literature and the arts.2 The emerging urban middle class needed
new institutions and the re-ordering of those that had been well established,
questioned and challenged old traditions.
The two decades between the two world wars were also a troubled time,
with democracy being challenged and far-right movements making their way
in politics and society. The Romanian state was permanently looking for the
best way to preserve the newly created national state and defend its frontiers.
This was the only matter all Romanian parties, apart from the Communist
party, seemed to agree on.3 The threat of territorial revisionism coming from
Hungary the Soviet Union and, to a lesser extent, Bulgaria, united all politi-
cal actors, the Liberals, the National Peasants and king Carol II, in defending
the Versailles peace treaty system and in supporting the League of Nations as
the guarantor of this peace and stability. The peace settlement reached at Ver-
sailles was far from perfect, as these territories came with substantial minori-
ties, which caused constant troubles with the above-mentioned neighbouring
states. Most Romanians believed that historical justice had been achieved
1 K. Hitchins, A Concise History of Romania, Cambridge 2014, p. 159.
2 Ibidem.
3 Ibidem, p. 195.
5
ROMANIAN ART HISTORIOGRAPHY
IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD.
BETWEEN THE SEARCH FOR SCHOLARSHIP
AND COMMITMENT TO A CAUSE
In Romania, the interwar period was a period of great effervescence, of dra-
matic changes and of great development in social and economic terms. In the
wake of World War I, Romania emerged as a large nation-state incorporating
new territories such as Transylvania, Bessarabia and Bukovina. The period
saw the rise of the middle class, still relatively small, but which became an
important force in both the economic and political life of the country1 The
new mling classes after the war experimented with new ideas in the economy,
in politics, in literature and the arts.2 The emerging urban middle class needed
new institutions and the re-ordering of those that had been well established,
questioned and challenged old traditions.
The two decades between the two world wars were also a troubled time,
with democracy being challenged and far-right movements making their way
in politics and society. The Romanian state was permanently looking for the
best way to preserve the newly created national state and defend its frontiers.
This was the only matter all Romanian parties, apart from the Communist
party, seemed to agree on.3 The threat of territorial revisionism coming from
Hungary the Soviet Union and, to a lesser extent, Bulgaria, united all politi-
cal actors, the Liberals, the National Peasants and king Carol II, in defending
the Versailles peace treaty system and in supporting the League of Nations as
the guarantor of this peace and stability. The peace settlement reached at Ver-
sailles was far from perfect, as these territories came with substantial minori-
ties, which caused constant troubles with the above-mentioned neighbouring
states. Most Romanians believed that historical justice had been achieved
1 K. Hitchins, A Concise History of Romania, Cambridge 2014, p. 159.
2 Ibidem.
3 Ibidem, p. 195.