20 Facts About Alexandru Bassarab

Alexandru Bassarab, or Basarab, was a Romanian painter, engraver, and fascist politician.

Alexandru Bassarab helped steer several art groups associated or integrated with the Guard, contributed to its fascist propaganda, and briefly served in the Assembly of Deputies.

Alexandru Bassarab survived the clampdown of the late 1930s, returning to apolitical work with Grupul Grafic, and exploring the legacy of Byzantine art.

Under the National Legionary State, Bassarab returned to favor as one of the leading political iconographers, urging others to contribute "epic" art in support of the regime.

Alexandru Bassarab died there, in mysterious circumstances, while his work continued to be censored at home.

Alexandru Bassarab was born in Bacau, where he graduated high school.

Alexandru Bassarab continued to exhibit canvasses at various venues but, as noted at the time by art critic Alexandru D Brosteanu, these were "timid", far less "rounded" than his woodcuts.

Alexandru Bassarab joined the Iron Guard, a native fascist movement, in 1932, and, as an aspiring propagandist, helped set up its artistic club, named after Stefan Luchian, and its Ideea Romaniei Lodge.

From October 1934, with Stamatu, Zlotescu, Ciucurencu, Ioan Victor Vojen, Dan Botta, and Radu Gyr, Alexandru Bassarab was active in the art collective Arta si Omul.

Columnist Alexandru Bassarab Baltes was impressed by his achievements, and especially by his use of contours, "concise, somber and expressive".

Alexandru Bassarab declared Bassarab a "bard of the Bucharest mahala".

Alexandru Bassarab was only featured there with his woodcuts, including Arhanghelul and a series of depictions of the Guard's main leaders.

Alexandru Bassarab himself ran on the TPT county lists in the December 1937 election.

Alexandru Bassarab himself took a Ialomita seat in the Assembly of Deputies, but lost it immediately when King Carol II ordered a clampdown.

In February 1940, Alexandru Bassarab joined Zlotescu and Valentin Hoeflich for another exhibit at Sala Dalles.

In that context, Alexandru Bassarab exhibited with the collective known as Grupul Grafic, alongside Marcel Olinescu.

In December 1940, Alexandru Bassarab organized an exhibit, Munca legionara, at Sala Dalles, which represented a fusion of art with Guardist ideology.

Days after, the Guard fell from power, and Alexandru Bassarab was arrested on orders from Conducator Antonescu.

When Romania entered World War II in June 1941 as part of Operation Barbarossa, Alexandru Bassarab was placed into a frontline unit with a high risk of casualties, participating in the recovery of Bessarabia.

Alexandru Bassarab survived the rise and fall of Communist Romania and died in 1999 at age 95.