Blog
Castles, Churches and Collections of Romania - Bucharest to Transylvania23 Dec 2019
Dear Members and Friends of The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
At the crossroads of ancient trade routes, Romania’s splendid array of stately churches, colorful monasteries, and storybook castles reflects the diversity of its influences, from Romans to Saxons to Byzantines and Ottoman Turks. Join me next spring to discover this Eastern European nation’s stunning treasures, many of them unknown to Westerners. As we journey from historic Bucharest to wonderfully well-preserved medieval towns in fabled Transylvania, we will cross picturesque mountains, experience a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and delve into Romania’s lively cultural legacy, which maintains a distinctly Latin character with Eastern elements.
As a scholar of Byzantine art who has traveled to this region many times for The Met, I am excited to share Romania’s many fine examples of Roman/Byzantine art and architecture, including the glittering Stavropoleos Church. An extraordinary highlight will be our in-depth exploration of the painted monasteries of Bucovina, whose walls are magnificently adorned with Byzantine murals and frescoes that showcase biblical scenes. At the Voronet monastery, we will behold its exceptional Last Judgement fresco, which depicts earthly beings, from saints to animals, awaiting God’s final verdict. This vignette springs to life against a marvelously unspoiled backdrop of the most vivid blue, made from pulverized lapis lazuli.
During this nine-day tour, we will enjoy special access to a variety of museums, including the National Museum of Art in Bucharest, as well as meet local experts, from a Romanian-language professor to a colleague of mine from The Met who has launched an ambitious art conservation project in a tiny village. I hope you join me on this thrilling voyage through a fascinating land.
Sincerely,
Dr. Helen C. Evans
Mary and Michael Jaharis Curator of Byzantine Art
Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
At the crossroads of ancient trade routes, Romania’s splendid array of stately churches, colorful monasteries, and storybook castles reflects the diversity of its influences, from Romans to Saxons to Byzantines and Ottoman Turks. Join me next spring to discover this Eastern European nation’s stunning treasures, many of them unknown to Westerners. As we journey from historic Bucharest to wonderfully well-preserved medieval towns in fabled Transylvania, we will cross picturesque mountains, experience a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and delve into Romania’s lively cultural legacy, which maintains a distinctly Latin character with Eastern elements.
As a scholar of Byzantine art who has traveled to this region many times for The Met, I am excited to share Romania’s many fine examples of Roman/Byzantine art and architecture, including the glittering Stavropoleos Church. An extraordinary highlight will be our in-depth exploration of the painted monasteries of Bucovina, whose walls are magnificently adorned with Byzantine murals and frescoes that showcase biblical scenes. At the Voronet monastery, we will behold its exceptional Last Judgement fresco, which depicts earthly beings, from saints to animals, awaiting God’s final verdict. This vignette springs to life against a marvelously unspoiled backdrop of the most vivid blue, made from pulverized lapis lazuli.
During this nine-day tour, we will enjoy special access to a variety of museums, including the National Museum of Art in Bucharest, as well as meet local experts, from a Romanian-language professor to a colleague of mine from The Met who has launched an ambitious art conservation project in a tiny village. I hope you join me on this thrilling voyage through a fascinating land.
Sincerely,
Dr. Helen C. Evans
Mary and Michael Jaharis Curator of Byzantine Art
Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters
The Metropolitan Museum of Art