200th birth anniversary of ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza exhibition opens at Romanian Academy Library

Pictures, letters, diplomatic documents, archival documents, press copies in the possession of the Romanian Academy Library illustrating both the role played by Alexandru Ioan Cuza in the Union of 1859 and the measures he took for the modernisation of the state during the seven years of his rule, as well as aspects of his private life, are on display in an exhibition called "The 200th birth anniversary of ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza," opened on Wednesday in the Theodor Pallady Hall of the Romanian Academy Library.

Among the items is the draft Constitution approved by Cuza in 1864, an electoral bill, diplomatic correspondence, decrees and orders bestowing various titles and medals on Cuza by foreign chancelleries.

Mounted at the exhibition are also pictures of the unionists, as well as of commissioned officers who participated in the ousting of Cuza in 1866, vintage images of Barlad, the ruler's hometown, of Iasi and, his palace in Ruginoasa, sketches of the palace furniture made to order by Jean-Paul Mazaroz & Ribaillier furniture factory, and also two documents confirming the election of Alexandru Ioan Cuza as ruler over Moldavia and Wallachia, the text of the oath he took upon enthroning, the Proclamation of the ruler to the Romanians and the letter congratulating the Elective Assembly, the sketch of a letter addressed by Cuza to Emperor Napoleon III announcing his double election, documents issued by the Sublime Porte in recognition of the election, diplomatic documents and congratulatory letters sent by the European chancelleries.

Ioan-Aurel Pop, chairman of the Romanian Academy, said that the most appropriate place to honor Cuza's memory, "through testimonies left behind, which are tangible, is the Library of the Romanian Academy, a treasure trove of Romanian culture."

"Honouring Alexandru Ioan Cuza at the Romanian Academy is not only a privilege, but it is also a duty of the institution, because the Romanian Academy, as you know, was established by the Literary Society under there rulership of Alexandru Ioan Cuza. The only thing left for the Royal Chancellery to do on April 4 was to issue an official document in that regard. As the father of the Romanian Academy he should be honored here, regardless of people and times," said Pop.

Nicolae Noica, honorary member of the Romanian Academy and general director of the library, mentioned that this month it is Cuza's 200th birth anniversary.

"This month marks 200 years since the birth of Alexandru Ioan Cuza. My colleagues, under the guidance of Mrs Dumitrescu and Mrs Macovei, wanted to mark this event by this beautiful and special exhibition. (...) There is one thing I want to say: in 1859, when he was speaking in Parliament after his election he said: we have to do everything, to arrange the administration, to build roads, to build channels, to do works for the good of this country. Well, I add now, 200 years later, that we also have a duty, to do everything for the Library of the Romanian Academy, for the formidable assets that are found here, to promote them, to show them to everyone," said Noica.

The exhibition is mounted by the Office of Manuscripts, Rare Books and the Cabinet of Prints. Curators are Gabriela Dumitrescu, head of the Office of Manuscripts, Rare Book, and Catalina Macovei, head of the Cabinet of Prints of the Library of the Romanian Academy.

It is open March 11-21, Monday to Friday, 10:00hrs-16:00hrs. Admission is free.