Works in Focus. Conferences in the European Art Gallery of the National Museum of Art of Romania

The National Museum of Art of Romania presents a new series of conferences entitled "Works in Focus," held by Mrs. Mălina Conțu, Head of the European Art Section at MNAR.

The first conference, titled "Overlapping Identities," will take place on Sunday, April 21, 2024, at 4:00 PM, in the French Hall, focusing on 19th-century works from the European Art Gallery. This conference will be repeated on June 5 and July 3, 2024, also at 4:00 PM.

During the conference, the story of the mysterious character depicted in Albert von Keller's painting "Empress Faustina" will be revealed. Von Keller was one of the founders of the Munich Secession movement, known for his fascination with mystery, occult, and the paranormal. Close to this imaginary lies the identity of the melancholic female figure illustrated in the chosen painting, representing one of the two empresses named Faustina: either the wife of Marcus Aurelius, Faustina the Younger, or her mother, Faustina the Elder, both Roman empresses. This discussion will be placed within the broader context of the 19th-century interest in the strange, in connection with other similar representations.

The work will be displayed in the European Art Gallery from April to July 2024.

The Works in Focus conference series provides an opportunity to discover lesser-known paintings and sculptures from the European Art Section's collections, in the context of the era in which they were created and in correlation with the works already on display, including details related to the restoration of the piece.

On Sundays, access will be granted upon purchasing the museum entrance ticket priced at 24 lei, while on Wednesdays, admission is free, with a limit of 40 seats available.