Iancu Kalinderu
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Ioan Lazăr Kalinderu (born Calenderoglu,
Nicolae Iorga Nicolae Iorga (17 January 1871 – 27 November 1940) was a historian, politician, literary critic, memoirist, Albanologist, poet and playwright. Co-founder (in 1910) of the Democratic Nationalist Party (PND), he served as a member of Parliament ...
, "Molière și Romînii. Comunicație comemorativă la Academia Romînă", in ''Revista Istorică'', Nr. 1–3/1922, p. 5
also known as Iancu Kalinderu, Ioan Kelenderu, Ioanŭ Calenderu, or Jean Kalindéro; December 28 or 29, 1840 – December 11, 1913) was a
Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...
n, later
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
n jurist and confidant of
King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
Carol I Carol I or Charles I of Romania (born Karl Eitel Friedrich Zephyrinus Ludwig von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen; 20 April 1839 – ), was the monarch of Romania from 1866 to his death in 1914, ruling as Prince (''Domnitor'') from 1866 to 1881, and as ...
, who served for thirty years as the administrator of crown domains, and for three years as president of the
Romanian Academy The Romanian Academy ( ) is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 active members who are elected for life. According to its bylaws, the academy's ma ...
. Educated in France, he was the son of a rich and influential Greek-Romanian banker, Lazăr Kalenderoglu, and the brother of physician
Nicolae Kalinderu Nicolae may refer to: * Nicolae (name), an Aromanian and Romanian name * ''Nicolae'' (novel), a 1997 novel See also *Nicolai (disambiguation) *Nicolao Nicolao is an Italian given name and a surname. It may refer to the following: Given name *Ni ...
. Like them, he was a sympathizer of the National Liberal Party, with which he debuted in politics in the 1880s. Kalideru was an expert in
Roman law Roman law is the law, legal system of ancient Rome, including the legal developments spanning over a thousand years of jurisprudence, from the Twelve Tables (), to the (AD 529) ordered by Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I. Roman law also den ...
, but his attempts in the field, as well as his later studies in the history of
Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...
, are generally seen as minor contributions. His overall competence as an interpreter of law was questioned following his handling of the Strousberg Affair, although he served on the
Court of Cassation A court of cassation is a high-instance court that exists in some judicial systems. Courts of cassation do not re-examine the facts of a case; they only interpret the relevant law. In this, they are appellate courts of the highest instance. In ...
and on international bodies of experts. Kalinderu stayed on as Carol's legal adviser, also helping him in direct negotiations with the National Liberal and
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
political machines, and was several times considered for the office of
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
. As administrator for the crown, Kalinderu enacted his vision of rural improvement, setting up
model farm A demonstration farm, experimental farm or model farm, is a farm which is used primarily to research or demonstrate various agricultural techniques, with any economic gains being an added bonus. Demonstration farms are often owned and operated by ...
s and a cottage industry, promoting literacy and the arts, and encouraging entrepreneurship. He viewed these methods as a working alternative to
land reform Land reform (also known as agrarian reform) involves the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership, land use, and land transfers. The reforms may be initiated by governments, by interested groups, or by revolution. Lan ...
, defending property rights during and after the peasants' revolt of 1907. He was praised for his passion and dedication, but also criticized for the uncertainty of their outcome. In addition to his agrarian project and his social work, Kalinderu played a significant part in promoting
mountaineering Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become mounta ...
and modern
forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...
, set up the resort of
Bușteni Bușteni () is a small mountain town in the north of Prahova County, Muntenia, Romania. It is located in the Prahova Valley, at the bottom of the Bucegi Mountains, that have a maximum altitude of . Its name literally means Logging, tree-logs in Ro ...
, and created his own art museum. A picturesque figure with eccentric customs, and often regarded as snobbish and servile, he became a
stock character A stock character, also known as a character archetype, is a type of character in a narrative (e.g. a novel, play, television show, or film) whom audiences recognize across many narratives or as part of a storytelling tradition or convention. Th ...
for the writers and cartoonists at '' Furnica'' magazine. His unfulfilled promise to donate his fortune to the public bled into a posthumous scandal which lasted into the interwar years.


Biography


Origins and early life

Born in
Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
on December 28 or 29, 1840,"Notices biographiques et bibliographiques sur les associés élus à Heidelberg", in ''Annuaire de l'Institut de Droit International'', 1888, p. 382Corneliu Olaru, Vladimir Iovanov, ''Un secol de economie românească, 1848–1947'', p. 149. Bucharest: Editura NEWA T.E.D., 2001. Amuliu Proca
"Simpozionul ''Academicianul Ioan Kalinderu, administratorul Domeniilor Coroanei, la 100 de ani de la dispariție''"
in ''Univers Ingineresc'', Nr. 1/2014
his father was Lazăr (Lazaros) Kalenderoglu (or Calenderoglu). Of possible Smyrniote origin, Simina Stan
"Muzeul Kalinderu, o restaurare fără sfărșit"
in ''
Jurnalul Național ''Jurnalul Național'' is a Romanian newspaper, part of the INTACT Media Group led by Dan Voiculescu, which also includes the popular television station Antena 1. The newspaper was launched in 1993. Its headquarters is in Bucharest Buchares ...
'', December 19, 2009
the family functioned as one of the largest banking and exporting institutions in Wallachia, and then in the
United Principalities The United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia (), commonly called United Principalities or Wallachia and Moldavia, was the personal union of the Moldavia, Principality of Moldavia and the Wallachia, Principality of Wallachia. The union was ...
. Lazăr had risen into the ranks of Wallachia's boyar nobility: joining the Bucharest local government in 1838, 1844, and 1847, he was awarded the title of ''
pitar ''Pitar'' is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the subfamily Callocardiinae of the family Veneridae, the Venus clams. The genus contains over 60 species. Species * '' Pitar aequinoctialis'' Fischer-Piette, 1969 * '' ...
'', advancing to ''
paharnic The ''Paharnic'' (plural: ''Paharnici''; also known as ''Păharnic'', ''Paharnec'', or ''Păharnec''; Moldavian dialect: ''ceașnic'', , ''pakharnikos'', , ''paharnik'') was a Historical Romanian ranks and titles, historical Romanian rank, one of ...
'' in the 1850s.Ionașcu, p. 241 His son would later falsely claim that the Kalenderoglus played a part in the
Wallachian Revolution of 1848 The Wallachian Revolution of 1848 was a Romanian liberal and nationalist uprising in the Principality of Wallachia. Part of the Revolutions of 1848, and closely connected with the unsuccessful revolt in the Principality of Moldavia, it sough ...
,
Titu Maiorescu Titu Liviu Maiorescu (; 15 February 1840 – 18 June 1917) was a Romanian literary critic and politician, founder of the ''Junimea'' Society. As a literary critic, he was instrumental in the development of Culture of Romania, Romanian culture in ...
(ed. Stelian Neagoe), ''Istoria politică a României sub domnia lui Carol I'', p. 273. Bucharest:
Humanitas (from the Latin , "human") is a Latin noun meaning human nature, civilization, and kindness. It has uses in the Enlightenment, which are discussed below. Classical origins of term The Latin word corresponded to the Greek concepts of (loving ...
, 1994.
although Lazăr is known to have held relevant positions in the
National Party National Party or Nationalist Party may refer to: Active parties * National Party of Australia, commonly known as ''The Nationals'' * Bangladesh: ** Bangladesh Nationalist Party ** Jatiya Party (Ershad) a.k.a. ''National Party (Ershad)'' * Californ ...
in 1857, briefly serving as its chairman alongside
Constantin A. Crețulescu Constantin A. Crețulescu or Kretzulescu (; 22 May 1809 in Bucharest – 21 March 1884 in Bucharest) was a Romanian academic, politician, and honorary list of members of the Romanian Academy, member of the Romanian Academy from 1871. He served a ...
. The last-ever tenant and tax collector of
Predeal Predeal (; ) is a town in Brașov County, Muntenia, Romania. Predeal, a mountain resort town, is the highest town in Romania. It is located in the Prahova Valley, Muntenia at an elevation of over . The town administers three villages: Pârâu ...
customs, Kalenderoglu had his estate in
Olt County Olt County () is a county (județ) of Romania on the border with Bulgaria, in the Historical regions of Romania, historical regions of Oltenia and Muntenia (the regions are separated by the Olt River, Olt river). The capital city is Slatina, Roma ...
, outside Colonești, reduced during the land reform of 1864. Another of his estates, at
Bălcești Bălcești is a town located in Vâlcea County, Romania. The town administers eight villages: Benești, Cârlogani, Gorunești, Chirculești, Irimești, Otetelișu, Preoțești, and Satu Poieni. It is situated in the historical region of Olte ...
, was repurchased by the Bălcescu boyars. However, he still left Ioan the manor of Schitu-Greci. Costel Vasilescu
"File din istoria răscoalei țărănești de la 1907"
, in ''Memoria Oltului și Romanaților'', Nr. 11/2015, p. 39
Although a Wallachian native and relatively assimilated, Lazăr was sometimes regarded as an ethnic Turk, owing to his Turkish-sounding surname,Alinuța Cofan, "Pamfletul arghezian sau 'arta de a spurca frumos' (II)", in ''Caiete Critice'', Nr. 7/2013, p. 56 or an
Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
. Alexandru Candiano-Popescu (ed.: Constantin Corbu), ''Amintiri din viața-mi'', p. 145. Bucharest: Editura Eminescu, 1998. He identified as Greek-Romanian and, as late as 1879, was ''
ktitor ''Ktetor'' () or ''ktitor'' (; ka, ქტიტორი ; ), meaning 'founder', is a title given in the Middle Ages to the provider of funds for construction or reconstruction of an Eastern Orthodox church or monastery, for the addition of icon ...
'' of an eponymous
Greek Orthodox Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Greek Christianity, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christians or more broadly the rite used in the Eastern Rom ...
church in Bucharest. His fully assimilated son later barred the Greek colony from attending the church, and rededicated it to
Romanian Orthodoxy The Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC; , ), or Romanian Patriarchate, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox Christian churches, and one of the nine patriarchates in the Eastern Orthodox Church. S ...
. According to polemicist Alexandru Candiano-Popescu, the future Ioan Kalinderu was snobbish and "could not bear his descent from some obscure lineage"; he therefore claimed
Eastern Roman The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
descent, "having found a name that matched his own" in the books of
Joseph von Hammer Joseph Freiherr von Hammer-Purgstall (; 9 June 1774 – 23 November 1856) was an Austrian orientalist, historian and diplomat. He is considered one of the most accomplished orientalists of his time. Life Born Joseph Hammer in Graz, Duchy of S ...
. Ioan and his brother Nicolae were educated in Greek, before graduating high school in Bucharest. Ioan studied law at the
University of Paris The University of Paris (), known Metonymy, metonymically as the Sorbonne (), was the leading university in Paris, France, from 1150 to 1970, except for 1793–1806 during the French Revolution. Emerging around 1150 as a corporation associated wit ...
. Taking his license degree with a study of dowries in
Roman law Roman law is the law, legal system of ancient Rome, including the legal developments spanning over a thousand years of jurisprudence, from the Twelve Tables (), to the (AD 529) ordered by Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I. Roman law also den ...
(1860), and earning a doctorate with a thesis on ''ex post facto'' laws (''De la non-rétroactivité des lois'', 1864), he returned home to take up positions as a judge, serving as the first president of Bucharest Tribunal. He then became a counselor with the
Court of Cassation A court of cassation is a high-instance court that exists in some judicial systems. Courts of cassation do not re-examine the facts of a case; they only interpret the relevant law. In this, they are appellate courts of the highest instance. In ...
.Tache Soroceanu, "Artistice. Muzeul Kalinderu: ctitorul și opera", in ''Ilustrațiunea Română'', Nr. 26/1934, p. 14 From 1872, the
Ministry of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
employed him as an adviser for penal reform, alongside
Vasile Boerescu Vasile Boerescu (January 1, 1830 – November 18, 1883) was a journalist, lawyer and Romanian politician who served as the Minister of Justice, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Religion and Public Instruction and held other various go ...
,
Nicolae Mandrea Nicolae may refer to: * Nicolae (name), an Aromanian and Romanian name * ''Nicolae'' (novel), a 1997 novel See also *Nicolai (disambiguation) *Nicolao Nicolao is an Italian given name and a surname. It may refer to the following: Given name *Ni ...
,
Grigore Păucescu Grigore, the equivalent of Gregory, is a Romanian-language first name. It may refer to: *Grigore Alexandrescu (1810–1885), Romanian poet and translator *Grigore Antipa (1866–1944), Romanian Darwinist biologist, ichthyologist, ecologist, oceanol ...
, Mihail Pherekyde and
Grigore Triandafil Grigore Trandafil (February 4, 1840–February 23, 1907) was a Wallachian-born Romanian magistrate and politician. Born in Bucharest, he studied law at the University of Paris, obtaining a doctorate. After returning home, he entered the magis ...
. Boerescu referred to Kalinderu as "a man of the new world, with very progressive ideas, and an excellent jurisconsult." At the time, his family was involved with the liberal-radical movement. Brother Nicolae, a Paris-trained physician, became one of the founders of the National Liberal Party in 1875. The aged Kalenderoglu was founder of ''Creditul Rural'', a
credit union A credit union is a member-owned nonprofit organization, nonprofit cooperative financial institution. They may offer financial services equivalent to those of commercial banks, such as share accounts (savings accounts), share draft accounts (che ...
for the benefit of peasants, alongside major liberal figures. In 1875, Ioan also joined the National Liberals in opposing the concession of the Predeal railway to the Englishman George Crawley; alongside party leaders
Ion Brătianu An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...
and
Dimitrie Sturdza Prince Dimitrie Sturdza (, in full Prince Dimitrie Alexandru Sturdza-Miclăușanu; 10 March 183321 October 1914) was a Romanian statesman and author of the late 19th century, and president of the Romanian Academy between 1882 and 1884. He is an a ...
, he created an investment firm that tried to compete with Crawley for the contract. Kalinderu advanced on the public scene following the Strousberg Affair, during which Romania purchased back her railways from the bankrupt
Prussian Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, the House of Hohenzoll ...
investor B. H. Strousberg. In February 1880, he and Strudza were dispatched to Berlin to negotiate payment of Strousberg's
government bond A government bond or sovereign bond is a form of Bond (finance), bond issued by a government to support government spending, public spending. It generally includes a commitment to pay periodic interest, called Coupon (finance), coupon payments' ...
s with the
Imperial German (, literally translated ) is an archaic term for those ethnic Germans who resided within the German state that was founded in 1871. In contemporary usage, it referred to German citizens, the word signifying people from the German ', i.e., Imp ...
authorities. In April, ''
Domnitor ''Prince Domnitor'', in full ''Principe Domnitor'' (Romanian pl. ''Principi Domnitori'') was the official title of the ruler of Romania between 1862 and 1881. It was usually translated as "prince regnant" in English and most other languages, ...
''
Carol I Carol I or Charles I of Romania (born Karl Eitel Friedrich Zephyrinus Ludwig von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen; 20 April 1839 – ), was the monarch of Romania from 1866 to his death in 1914, ruling as Prince (''Domnitor'') from 1866 to 1881, and as ...
appointed him on the Princely Commission for the Administration of Railways, the embryonic ''
Căile Ferate Române Căile Ferate Române (; abbreviated as the CFR) was the state railway carrier of Romania. The company was dissolved on 1 October 1998 by splitting into several successor companies. CFR as an entity existed from 1880, even though the first ra ...
''. The other members of this directorial triumvirate were
Eugeniu Stătescu Eugeniu Stătescu (25 December 1836 – 30 December 1905) was a Romanian politician who served as the Minister of Internal Affairs from 10 April 1881 until 8 June 1881 and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 9 June 1881 until 30 July 1881 during ...
and
Ștefan Fălcoianu Ștefan Fălcoianu (June 6, 1835–January 22, 1905) was a Romanian army general who served as Chief of the Romanian General Staff, Chief of the General Staff and Ministry of National Defence (Romania), War Minister. Biography Origins and ea ...
. Kalinderu maintained his office in Berlin until 1882, representing the newly established
Kingdom of Romania The Kingdom of Romania () was a constitutional monarchy that existed from with the crowning of prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen as King of Romania, King Carol I of Romania, Carol I (thus beginning the Romanian royal family), until 1947 wit ...
. In 1882, he published a French-language tome dealing specifically with the legal implications of the Strousberg Affair: ''De la compétence des tribunaux et particulièrernent des tribunaux prussiens dans toute contestation relative aux biens mobiliers qu'un état étranger peut posséder en Prusse''.Teodorescu ''et al'', p. 849 As noted at the time by
Titu Maiorescu Titu Liviu Maiorescu (; 15 February 1840 – 18 June 1917) was a Romanian literary critic and politician, founder of the ''Junimea'' Society. As a literary critic, he was instrumental in the development of Culture of Romania, Romanian culture in ...
, Kalinderu was responsible for placing his government in a humiliating position, and it was surprising that such a mission was entrusted to so unqualified an individual. Brătianu, who had taken over as
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
, arrived in Berlin to personally supervise the negotiations, reportedly because the hastiness on the German side to seal off the deal "inspired in him grave disquietude". According to one account, he viewed Kalinderu as incompetent, arranging for Eugeniu Carada to replace him as the actual negotiator, in all but name. Nevertheless, Kalinderu's authority in international law was recognized following his employment by the
Permanent Court of Arbitration The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is an intergovernmental organization headquartered at the Peace Palace, in The Hague, Netherlands. Unlike a judicial court in the traditional sense, the PCA provides administrative support in international ...
.Pădurean, p. 77 From 1888, he was also an associate member of the Institut de Droit International. Kalinderu earned additional favors from Carol I, crowned
King of Romania The King of Romania () or King of the Romanians () was the title of the monarch of the Kingdom of Romania from 1881 until 1947, when the Romanian Workers' Party proclaimed the Romanian People's Republic following Michael I's forced abdication. ...
, who appointed him his adviser on legal and agricultural matters. For a while, he served as administrator of the state-owned forest and fields. In June 1884, Kalinderu was named the first administrator of crown domains, which had been set aside by organic law, resigning from his position at the railways company in December 1885. Owned by the state and managed by the
House of Hohenzollern The House of Hohenzollern (, ; , ; ) is a formerly royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) German dynasty whose members were variously princes, Prince-elector, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzollern Castle, Hohenzollern, Margraviate of Bran ...
(through Kalinderu), the domains originally included twelve country estates and two mountains of the
Southern Carpathians The Southern Carpathians (also known as the Transylvanian Alps; ; ) are a group of mountain ranges located in southern Romania. They cover the part of the Carpathian Mountains located between the Prahova River in the east and the Timiș and ...
:
Clăbucetul Taurului Clăbucetul Taurului ("the bull's cap") is a mountain in Romania, part of Baiu Mountains in the Southern Carpathians. The highest peak is high. Located on the border of Brașov County, Brașov and Prahova County, Prahova counties, it is in the v ...
and Caraiman. During the first years of his new assignment, Kalinderu tried to pursue a parallel career in politics. He ran for Bucharest Council in 1886, second on the National Liberal list. He withdrew upon winning, citing his "many other engagements". During the election of 1888, "I. Calenderoglu" ran at Olt as an independent, but lost, collecting 55 of 165 votes. He eventually handled the purchase of Strousberg railways, negotiating a loan for 175 million lei in 1889. In 1891, following the resignation of a Conservative Party government under
Gheorghe Manu Gheorghe Manu (; 26 July 1833, Bucharest, Wallachia – 16 May 1911, Bucharest, Kingdom of Romania) was a Romanian Army general, artillery inspector and statesman. He served as Prime Minister (1889–1891), Minister of War, Minister of the I ...
, Carol reportedly proposed Kalinderu as Prime Minister of an independent cabinet. This maneuver was rejected by the opposition National Liberals—the refusal was instigated by a moribund Brătianu.


Academy presidency

By 1888, Kalinderu was elected a corresponding member of the
Romanian Academy The Romanian Academy ( ) is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 active members who are elected for life. According to its bylaws, the academy's ma ...
. As reported by Candiano-Popescu, this was a meritless advancement, done "without the God of literature having been made aware f his existence. Made titular in March 1893, Kalinderu became chairman of its Historical Section in 1895–1897, and again in 1907–1910. He also served as Academy president from 1904 to 1907. The administrator of the
Ioan Oteteleșanu Ioan Oteteleșanu (also Iancu; 1795–1876) was a Wallachian, later Romanian businessman and politician. The son of '' sluger'' Constantin Oteteleșanu, he entered the magistracy in 1831. Dimitrie Rosetti, ''Dicționarul Contimporanilor'', p. ...
estate after winning the trial against his relatives in 1889,Teodorescu ''et al'', pp. 849, 850 he donated most of it to the academy. The fund included 900
hectare The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100-metre sides (1 hm2), that is, square metres (), and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. ...
s of land, and ran at 4 million gold lei. During his tenure there, Kalinderu marginalized
Ioan Slavici Ioan Slavici (; 18 January 1848 – 17 August 1925) was a Romanian writer and journalist from Austria-Hungary, later Romania. He made his debut in ''Convorbiri literare'' ("Literary Conversations") (1871), with the comedy ''Fata de birău'' ("Th ...
, who had criticized his management, and tried but failed to do the same with historian
Radu Rosetti Radu Rosetti (Francization, Francized ''Rodolphe Rosetti''; September 14, 1853 – February 12, 1926) was a Moldavian, later Romanian, politician, historian, and novelist, father of General Radu R. Rosetti, and a prominent member of the Rosetti f ...
. He was also confronted with criticism from
Duiliu Zamfirescu Duiliu Zamfirescu (; 30 October 1858 – 3 June 1922) was a Romanian novelist, poet, short story writer, lawyer, nationalist politician, journalist, diplomat and memoirist. In 1909, he was elected a member of the Romanian Academy, and, for a whi ...
, who, in 1904, claimed that the academy was turning into an "asylum for the intellectually impaired." Meanwhile, he continued to work as an envoy of the king. By 1899, with Romania hit by a major economic crisis, Kalinderu and Manu were sent abroad to negotiate loans—as Ornea notes, theirs was a "dilettante" adventure. Kalinderu also reported to his former Berlin colleague Sturdza, by then the National Liberal Prime Minister, that Carol had dismissed him, then negotiated a reunification of the Conservatives and ''
Junimea ''Junimea'' was a Romanian literary society founded in Iași in 1863, through the initiative of several foreign-educated personalities led by Titu Maiorescu, Petre P. Carp, Vasile Pogor, Theodor Rosetti and Iacob Negruzzi. The foremost personali ...
'' defectors, prompted by the king's wish to have a stable government party. He had declined offers to replace Sturdza himself, favoring
Theodor Rosetti Prince Theodor Rosetti (; 5 May 1837 – 17 July 1923) was a Romanian writer, journalist and politician who served as Prime Minister of Romania between 23 March 1888 and 22 March 1889, with two cabinets formed. Over his life, he also served seve ...
or
Ioan Lahovary Ioan N. Lahovary or Ion Lahovari; January 25, 1844 – June 14, 1915) was a member of Romanian aristocracy, a politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania. Political career Ioan Lahovary was the brother ...
for that position. In 1896, Kalinderu restored the church on his own estate of Schitu-Greci, radically altering the overall design. He was particularly concerned with building and restoring Orthodox religious buildings on the king's domain,
Marie of Romania Marie (born Princess Marie Alexandra Victoria of Edinburgh; 29 October 1875 – 18 July 1938) was the last queen of Romania from 10 October 1914 to 20 July 1927 as the wife of Ferdinand I of Romania, King Ferdinand I. Marie was born int ...
, ''Însemnări zilnice'', p. 422. Bucharest:
Humanitas (from the Latin , "human") is a Latin noun meaning human nature, civilization, and kindness. It has uses in the Enlightenment, which are discussed below. Classical origins of term The Latin word corresponded to the Greek concepts of (loving ...
, 2006.
Mihaesco, p. 197 personally involved in restoring and refurbishing the church of Bălteni-Periș. He supervised
model farm A demonstration farm, experimental farm or model farm, is a farm which is used primarily to research or demonstrate various agricultural techniques, with any economic gains being an added bonus. Demonstration farms are often owned and operated by ...
s, wrote a textbook for crown agents,Teodorescu ''et al'', p. 850 and ordered the founding of cultural societies, the first appearing on a domain in 1897. It published the eponymous "people's encyclopedic magazine", ''Albina'' ("The Bee"), appearing between October 1897 and 1916. Kalinderu was the head editor, with
George Coșbuc George Coșbuc (; 20 September 1866 – 9 May 1918) was a Romanian poet, translator, teacher, and journalist, best remembered for his verses describing, praising and eulogizing rural life, its many travails but also its occasions for joy. In 19 ...
,
Petre Dulfu Petre Dulfu (10 March 1856 – 31 October 1953) was an Imperial Austrian-born Romanian poet, translator and playwright. Born in Tohat, Sălaj County, his parents were Nichifor Dulfu and his wife Agapia (''née'' Bran), members of the rural i ...
, and
Petre Vasiliu-Năsturel Petre is a surname and given name derived from Peter. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Petre * Charles Petre Eyre (1817–1902), English Roman Catholic prelate * Ion Petre Stoican (circa 1930–1990), Romanian vi ...
serving as co-editors. His work in public literacy also led him to establish Steaua Association. Joined by
Constantin Banu Constantin Gheorghe Banu (March 20, 1873 – September 8, 1940) was a Romanian writer, journalist and politician, who served as Arts and Religious Affairs Minister in 1922–1923. He is remembered in literary history as the founder of '' Flacăra ...
and
Spiru Haret Spiru C. Haret (; 15 February 1851 – 17 December 1912) was a Romanian mathematician, astronomer, and politician. He made a fundamental contribution to the ''n''-body problem in celestial mechanics by proving that using a third degree approx ...
, and later by
Barbu Știrbey Prince Barbu Alexandru Știrbey (; 4 November 1872 – 24 March 1946) was 30th Prime Minister of Romania, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Romania in 1927. Early life and ancestry Born into the prestigious Știrbei, House of Știrbey, he was ...
and
Alexandru Lapedatu Alexandru I. Lapedatu (14 September 1876 – 30 August 1950) was Cults and Arts and State minister of Romania, President of the Senate of Romania, member of the Romanian Academy, its president and general secretary. Family Alexandru Lapedatu wa ...
, it had as its object the promotion of "moral, patriotic and useful publications", and the prevention, "by all lawful meas, of immoral writings and publications". Kalinderu was also editor of Culture Ministry's newsletter, ''Buletinul Comisiunii Monumentelor Istorice'', and of the forestry magazine, ''Revista Pădurilor'', serving as chairman of the Historical Monuments Commission, the Progress in Forestry Society, and the Royal Geographical Society. He was also offered chairmanship of the
Romanian Athenaeum The Romanian Athenaeum () is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest, Romania, and a landmark of the Romanian capital city. Opened in 1888, the ornate, domed, circular building is the city's most prestigious concert hall and home of the "Geor ...
, but regretfully declined, arguing that he was caught up in his agricultural work. Instead, he promised to bequeath a "handsome sum" of money to the Athenaeum upon his death.Ștefan C. Ioan, "Amintiri din trecutul Ateneului Român", in ''Cele Trei Crișuri'', Nr. 3–4/1944, pp. 60–61 In 1906, following Sturdza's second fall from office, Kalinderu was again tipped as the likely Prime Minister. Described by
Zigu Ornea Zigu Ornea (; born Zigu Orenstein Andrei Vasilescu"La ceas aniversar – Cornel Popa la 75 de ani: 'Am refuzat numeroase demnități pentru a rămâne credincios logicii și filosofiei analitice.' ", in Revista de Filosofie Analitică', Vol. II, N ...
as a "pseudo-historian", Kalinderu authored "risible" studies on Roman hairstyles,
Titu Maiorescu Titu Liviu Maiorescu (; 15 February 1840 – 18 June 1917) was a Romanian literary critic and politician, founder of the ''Junimea'' Society. As a literary critic, he was instrumental in the development of Culture of Romania, Romanian culture in ...
(ed.
Z. Ornea Zigu Ornea (; born Zigu Orenstein Andrei Vasilescu"La ceas aniversar – Cornel Popa la 75 de ani: 'Am refuzat numeroase demnități pentru a rămâne credincios logicii și filosofiei analitice.' ", in Revista de Filosofie Analitică', Vol. II, N ...
), ''T. Maiorescu și prima generație de maiorescieni'', p. 348. Bucharest:
Editura Minerva Editura Minerva is one of the largest publishing houses in Romania. Located in Bucharest, it is known, among other things, for publishing classic Romanian literature, children's books, and scientific books. The company was founded in Bucharest in ...
, 1978
which also drew much amusement from contemporaries. They were published in 1900–1901 as ''Portul barbeĭ și pĕruluĭ la Romanĭ'' ("Beard and Hair Styling among the Romans") and ''Portul perucilor și bărbieriĭ la Romanĭ'' ("Wigs and Barbers of the Romans"). Kalinderu's other publications have been characterized by Maiorescu as "compilations with no value". They include monographs on the '' praetorium ius'' (1885), on Roman municipal law and on the Byzantine Senate (both 1887), on the
Twelve Tables The Laws of the Twelve Tables () was the legislation that stood at the foundation of Roman law. Formally promulgated in 449 BC, the Tables consolidated earlier traditions into an enduring set of laws.Crawford, M.H. 'Twelve Tables' in Simon Hornbl ...
(1888), on Roman vacationing (1895), on
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
and his literary retinue (1897–1898), on
Caesar's Civil War Caesar's civil war (49–45 BC) was a civil war during the late Roman Republic between two factions led by Julius Caesar and Pompey. The main cause of the war was political tensions relating to Caesar's place in the Republic on his expected ret ...
(1902), on
clothing in ancient Rome Clothing in ancient Rome generally comprised a short-sleeved or sleeveless, knee-length tunic for men and boys, and a longer, usually sleeved tunic for women and girls. On formal occasions, adult male citizens could wear a woolen toga, draped ov ...
(1903–1904), and on social life during the times of
Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...
(1904). He also published an homage to
Stephen the Great Stephen III, better known as Stephen the Great (; ; died 2 July 1504), was List of rulers of Moldavia, Voivode (or Prince) of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504. He was the son of and co-ruler with Bogdan II of Moldavia, Bogdan II, who was murdered in ...
, medieval
Prince of Moldavia This is a list of monarchs of Moldavia, from the first mention of the medieval polity east of the Carpathians and until its disestablishment in 1862, when it united with Wallachia, the other Danubian Principality, to form the modern-day state of ...
, studies of succession to the Romanian throne, and an academy-sanctioned biography of
Melchisedec Ștefănescu Melchisedec Ștefănescu (; born Mihail Ștefănescu ; – ) was a Moldavian, later Romanian historian and bishop of the Romanian Orthodox Church. A native of the Piatra Neamț area, he was educated at Iași and in Kiev. After a decade of teachi ...
. In an 1888 polemical tract, ''Une poignée de vérités à nos prétendants'' ("A Fistful of Truths for Our Detractors"), Kalinderu and Alexandru Candiano-Popescu, using the shared pseudonym ''Un Paysan du Danube'' ("A Peasant of the Danube"), defended their work alongside the king.


Agrarian reformer

Kalinderu largely owed his ascent into prominent positions to his work at the crown domains and his influence with Carol I. However, his activity in agricultural and social improvement earned him respect. As early as 1898, Angelo de Gubernatis referred to his "powerful and positive work", calling Kalinderu "one of the most noble figures in today's Romania". Another visitor,
André Bellessort 1928 André Bellessort (19 March 1866 in Laval, Mayenne – 22 January 1942 in Paris) was a French writer. Biography Bellessort was not only a poet and essayist, but also a traveller who went to Chile, Bolivia, and Japan. He is known for his i ...
, joked that the perpetually youthful "Mr. Kalindero" resembled "a rustic god", a patron of the farmers with "nitrogen eyes". Kalinderu's contributions to agricultural science and his activism, covered in a 1903 monograph by the agrarianist
Vasile Kogălniceanu Vasile is a male Romanian given name or a surname. It is equivalent to the English name Basil which is of Greek origin and means "King". It is also used by the Megleno-Romanians. As a given name As a surname *Cristian Vasile (1908–1985), Ro ...
, were praised by the sociologists: Dimitrie Drăghicescu saw them as marked by an "entrepreneurial spirit, unrelenting in its activity"; Nicolae Mihăescu-Nigrim called Kalinderu "one of the country's most eminent economists" and an "indefatigable administrator". As chemist Amuliu Proca notes, Kalinderu turned the domains into an "institution for defeating poverty, a factor in educating and culturally improving the villages". It "set an example of what may be accomplished, in a short while, by a country that was taking major steps in her development." As summarized by the official press of his time, he "put all his efforts into directing peasants toward the cottage industry", created "home economics classes and adult education courses", and "was the first to speak" at educational conferences. He established a dairy factory, as well as shops for weavers, ropemakers,
wainwrights Wainwrights are the 214 English peaks (known locally as '' fells'') described in Alfred Wainwright's seven-volume '' Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells'' (1955–66). They all lie within the boundary of the Lake District National Park in Cu ...
and
woodturner Woodturning is the craft of using a wood lathe with hand-held tools to cut a shape that is symmetrical around the axis of rotation. Like the potter's wheel, the wood lathe is a mechanism that can generate a variety of forms. The operator is kno ...
s, and showcased their products at the
1900 World's Fair The Exposition Universelle of 1900 (), better known in English as the 1900 Paris Exposition, was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 14 April to 12 November 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate develop ...
. Following
Julius Kühn Julius Gotthelf Kühn (23 October 1825 – 14 April 1910) was a German academic and agronomist and he was one of the pioneers of plant pathology. Kuhn's father was a land owner and he gained experience in agriculture and botany on his father's ...
, Kalinderu insisted that the precondition of a "rational economy" was good livestock, so he inaugurated a freely accessible
breeding program A breeding program is the planned breeding of a group of animals or plants, usually involving at least several individuals and extending over several generations. There are a couple of breeding methods, such as artificial (which is man made) a ...
, also providing tenants with
cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...
s, or with beekeeping and
sericulture Sericulture, or silk farming, is the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk. Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, the caterpillar of the Bombyx mori, domestic silkmoth is the most widely used and intensively studied silkwo ...
implements. He also reintroduced
reforestation Reforestation is the practice of restoring previously existing forests and woodlands that have been destroyed or damaged. The prior forest destruction might have happened through deforestation, clearcutting or wildfires. Three important purpose ...
and
forest farming Agroforestry (also known as agro-sylviculture or forest farming) is a land use management system that integrates trees with crops or pasture. It combines agricultural and forestry technologies. As a polyculture system, an agroforestry system can ...
where bad practices had affected the environment. Kalinderu held the notion that the Romanian peasant was miserable for being illiterate, and that "all it takes is a set of favorable circumstances for him to display istalents". The efforts to educate his tenants were conjugated with those of ''Steaua''s Haret, by then National Liberal
Minister of Education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...
, providing young students with work experience and
physical culture Physical culture, also known as body culture, is a health and strength training movement that originated during the 19th century in Germany, the UK and the US. Origins The physical culture movement in the United States during the 19th century ...
, as well as inculcating in them a patriotic awareness. A significant portion of his time was spent on teaching peasants to diversify their diet, including providing hired hands with daily rations of vegetables, meat and milk. This helped to prevent outbursts of
pellagra Pellagra is a disease caused by a lack of the vitamin niacin (vitamin B3). Symptoms include inflamed skin, diarrhea, dementia, and sores in the mouth. Areas of the skin exposed to friction and radiation are typically affected first. Over tim ...
. In 1901, agronomist
Constantin Sandu-Aldea Constantin Sandu-Aldea (November 22, 1874 – March 21, 1927) was a Romanian agronomist and prose writer. Born in Tichilești, Brăila County, his parents were the cart driver Sandu Petrea Pârjol and his wife Tudora. After completing studies at ...
acknowledged that there was a stark difference between "the mass of cultivators, who fall behind progress", and those living and working on crown lands. As he noted, the "intelligent and energetic" Kalinderu was managing his estate and his tenants backed by "all scientific data in modern agriculture." Modeling his effort on the Austrian colonization of Bosnia, Kalinderu financed research projects for his employees, sending many of them to study in
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
. On crown estates, management was divided between networks of forestry engineers, agricultural engineers, and accountants, who decided working hours and met budgetary requirements; workers received social security, including
disability insurance Disability Insurance, often called DI or disability income insurance, or income protection, is a form of insurance that insures the beneficiary's earned income against the risk that a disability creates a barrier for completion of core work func ...
. These and other contracts excluded drunkards and unmarried couples, with a view to promoting a stringent moral code. However, his attempts to uproot alcoholism and promote personal hygiene had mixed results, according to the left-wing
Mihail Sadoveanu Mihail Sadoveanu (; occasionally referred to as Mihai Sadoveanu; 5 November 1880 – 19 October 1961) was a Romanian novelist, short story writer, journalist and political figure, who twice served as acting President of Romania, head of st ...
, who noted, sarcastically, "true enough, these days taverns have been replaced by bathhouses and libraries."Pădurean, p. 84 Likewise, a 1901 project to set up rural theaters was derided and parodied by
Ion Luca Caragiale Ion Luca Caragiale (; According to his birth certificate, published and discussed by Constantin Popescu-Cadem in ''Manuscriptum'', Vol. VIII, Nr. 2, 1977, pp. 179–184 – 9 June 1912), commonly referred to as I. L. Caragiale, was a Romanians, ...
, in '' Moftul Român''. Reportedly, his order to build model libraries on the domains was actively sabotaged by the local curators, who would not allow peasants to consult them, or even to set foot in the buildings. Kalinderu took over his father's seat at ''Creditul Rural'', which financed the cottage industry and, in 1906, was chaired by Sturdza. The institution was rocked by scandals between its Conservative and National Liberal managers—when Sturdza stepped down in March 1906, Kalinderu became his replacement. His belief in self-help and his defense of landed-property rights against another land reform were highlighted after the peasants' revolt of 1907, during which his own estate at Schitu-Greci was ransacked. At the Progress in Forestry Society, he condemned the peasants' belief that "the state has a duty to provide them with land", and insisted that the root cause of the revolt was their failure to accept modernity and practicality. As he noted at the time, "on the crown domains, ..the peasants never rebelled, but quite the contrary, defended property against invaders." Mediating between the Conservatives and the king, Kalinderu obtained guarantees against the reform, although he and the crown advocated "a credit union under the control of the state, permitting peasants to accumulate more land of their own." By then, he had resigned from his steering position at ''Creditul Rural'', following an agreement with
Dinu Brătianu Dinu Brătianu (; January 13, 1866 – August 20, 1950), born Constantin I. C. Brătianu, was a Romanian engineer and politician who led the National Liberal Party (PNL) starting in 1934. Life Early career He was born at the estate of ''Flo ...
, who replaced him. In 1908–1911, his ''Albina'' team also put out a weekly "social bulletin", providing Orthodox parsons and rural teachers with guidance in the field social work.


Art collector and courtier

Kalinderu's other ambitious ideas manifested themselves erratically, including a project for a girls' boarding school in
Turnu Măgurele Turnu Măgurele () is a municipiu, city in Teleorman County, Romania, in the historical region of Muntenia. Developed nearby the site once occupied by the medieval port of Turnu fortress, Turnu, it is situated north-east of the confluence between ...
, the "Oteteleșanu Institute", which he launched without the academy's approval. He was also involved in the development of the
Bușteni Bușteni () is a small mountain town in the north of Prahova County, Muntenia, Romania. It is located in the Prahova Valley, at the bottom of the Bucegi Mountains, that have a maximum altitude of . Its name literally means Logging, tree-logs in Ro ...
mountain resort, where he built a paper mill and a high school that today bears his name. He promoted ski, and a slope there is also named in his honor. His own estate increased by 1907, with the addition of 401 hectares at Seaca—leased out to the Predescu brothers—and other plots in Tecuci-Kalinderu. From July 1906 onward, his other pet project was art collecting, with the goal of setting up a museum at his villa on Vasile Sion Street, near the
Cișmigiu Gardens The Cișmigiu Gardens or Cișmigiu Park () are a public park in the center of Bucharest, Romania, spanning areas on all sides of an artificial lake. The gardens' creation was an important moment in the history of Bucharest. They form the oldes ...
. The house itself, designed by
Ion D. Berindey An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...
, cost 2 million gold lei to build, and was lavishly furnished. The collection included
Ancient Greek pottery Pottery, due to its relative durability, comprises a large part of the archaeological record of ancient Greece, and since there is so much of it (over 100,000 painted vases are recorded in the Corpus vasorum antiquorum), it has exerted a dispro ...
and works of design alongside art by
Donatello Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi ( – 13 December 1466), known mononymously as Donatello (; ), was an Italian Renaissance sculpture, Italian sculptor of the Renaissance period. Born in Republic of Florence, Florence, he studied classical sc ...
,
Andrea del Verrocchio Andrea del Verrocchio ( , , ; born Andrea di Michele di Francesco de' Cioni; – 1488) was an Italian sculpture, sculptor, List of Italian painters, painter and goldsmith who was a master of an important workshop in Florence. He apparently bec ...
,
Giovanni Paolo Panini Giovanni Paolo, also known as Gian Paolo Panini or Pannini (17 June 1691 – 21 October 1765), was an Italian Baroque painter and architect who worked in Rome and is primarily known as one of the ''vedutisti'' ("view painters"). As a painter, Pani ...
,
Théodore Géricault Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault (; 26 September 1791 – 26 January 1824) was a French painter and lithographer, whose best-known painting is '' The Raft of the Medusa''. Despite his short life, he was one of the pioneers of the Romanti ...
,
Léon Bonnat Léon Joseph Florentin Bonnat (; 20 June 1833 – 8 September 1922) was a French painter, Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur, art collector and professor at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Early life Bonnat was born in Bayonne, but from 1846 to 1853 ...
,
Auguste Raffet Denis Auguste Marie Raffet (2 March 180416 February 1860) was a French illustrator and lithographer. He was a student of Nicolas Toussaint Charlet, and was a retrospective painter of the First French Empire, Empire. Biography Raffet was ...
, and the complete collection of etchings by
Piranesi Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (; also known as simply Piranesi; 4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) was an Italian classical archaeologist, architect, and artist, famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric ...
. These were matched by a Romanian hall, with canvasses by
Nicolae Grigorescu Nicolae Grigorescu (; 15 May 1838 – 21 July 1907) was one of the founders of modern Romanian painting. He is considered by Romanians the greatest Romanian painter, and one of the founders of modern Romanian art. He is most known for paintin ...
,
Ștefan Luchian Ștefan Luchian (, last name also spelled Lukian; 1 February 1868 – 28 June 1916) was a Romanian painter, famous for his landscapes and still life works. Biography Early life Luchian was born in Ștefănești, a village of Botoșani County, ...
,
Ion Andreescu Ion Andreescu (; 15 February 1850 – 22 October 1882) was a Romanian painter. Biography He was the son of Andrei Dobrescu and Anastasia Pencovico. It is unknown if he was born in Bucharest or in another one of his parents' residences in the vic ...
,
Camil Ressu Camil Ressu (; 28 January 1880 – 1 April 1962) was a Romanian painter and academic, one of the most significant art figures of Romania. Biography Early life and career Born in Galați, Ressu came from an Aromanians, Aromanian family that mi ...
, and various others. The art world was skeptical of his tastes:
Tudor Arghezi Ion Nae Theodorescu (21 May 1880 – 14 July 1967) was a Romanian writer who wrote under the pen name Tudor Arghezi (. He is best known for his unique contribution to poetry and children's literature. Biography Early life He graduated from Sai ...
and
Alexandru Lapedatu Alexandru I. Lapedatu (14 September 1876 – 30 August 1950) was Cults and Arts and State minister of Romania, President of the Senate of Romania, member of the Romanian Academy, its president and general secretary. Family Alexandru Lapedatu wa ...
both noted that Kalinderu had amassed his '' objets'' without much discernment; later, art historian Petre Oprea concluded that Kalinderu was driven by "vainglory and a thirst for fame." Similarly, critic
George Oprescu George Oprescu (27 November 1881 – 13 August 1969) was a Romanian historian, art critic and collector. Born into a poor family, he developed a taste for the fine arts early in life, as well as for the French language, which he taught into his fo ...
suggests that Ioan's taste in art was eclipsed by that of his physician brother Nicolae, who selected "all that is best" in the Kalinderu collection. According to the fellow collector
Krikor Zambaccian Krikor is a Western Armenian given name, equivalent to Eastern Armenian given name Grigor and the English equivalent Gregory and its variants in different languages. A diminutive of the name is Koko. A variant is Kirkor. Notable people with the n ...
: "dapper, distant and implacable, the Smyrniote was haughty and did not tolerate competition". Zambaccian found his rival overall "harmless", even though he noted an incident in which an angry Kalinderu "decapitated" a work of sculpture. Kalideru's other eccentricities attracted attention in their own right. Seen by contemporaries and later historians as excessively vain and hence susceptible, he was decorated with the ribbons of numerous European countries,Pădurean, p. 78 holding the Grand Cross of the
Order of the Star of Romania The Order of the Star of Romania (Romanian: ''Ordinul Steaua României'') is Romania's highest civil Order and second highest State decoration after the Order of Michael the Brave. It is the oldest Order of Romania. It is awarded by the Preside ...
, the
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
as Grand Officer, and, from 1903, the Grand Cordon of the
Order of Osmanieh The Order of Osmanieh (, Modern ) was a civil and military decoration of the Ottoman Empire. History The order was created in January 1862 by Sultan Abdülaziz. With the obsolescence of the Nişan-i Iftikhar, this became the second highest order ...
. In one of his charges, Arghezi claimed that Kalinderu, the "Man with Violet Eyes", was entirely alien to the nation he claimed to rescue, a "purulent flower on the heights of our national life." Lapedatu commented on his "wicked half-closed Oriental eyes", his "black mustache like that of
Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...
", and his dress "in the English style, with wide pants, gray jacket, an enormous lapel flower and a tall gray hat".
Constantin Argetoianu Constantin Argetoianu ( – 6 February 1955) was a Romanian politician, one of the best-known personalities of interwar Greater Romania, who served as the Prime Minister between 28 September and 23 November 1939. His memoirs, ''Memorii. Pentru ...
observed that although Kalinderu lacked all inclination toward sport or riding, he would go out every morning on a nag he could barely ride.Pădurean, p. 79 Although this activity bored him, he would not have renounced it for anything, because he had read it was a habit of lords in London. Later, he became an ardent velocipedist, and was the only person with special permission to ride a velocipede in Cișmigiu. As seen by Radu R. Rosetti, Kalinderu appears "sententious, ridiculous, but very much appreciated by the King". Reportedly, he worked for free at the crown domains, refusing to collect his salary: "The only rewards he desires are peasant blessings and his playing billiards with His Majesty." The king's appreciation was strictly contextual, a fact noticed by the politician
Ion G. Duca Ion Gheorghe Duca (; 20 December 1879 – 29 December 1933) was a Romanian liberal politician, diplomat, and lawyer who briefly served as Prime Minister from November to December 1933. A leading figure in the National Liberal Party, Duca hel ...
: although Kalideru "entertained illusions" that he was personal friends with Carol, the latter "made sure to dispel it"; the courtier could be the king's "servant and useful instrument, but never his friend." Reportedly, Carol also ordered Kalinderu to admonish Crown Prince Ferdinand and Princess Marie for their lavish spending. The future Queen Marie was much amused by Kalinderu, describing him as "little, round, with a short beard and a pronounced Semitic nose; one of his eyes sparkled wickedly, showing an unusually sharp intelligence"."Maria Regina României. Un gentilom în care regele Carol avea cea mai mare încredere"
in ''
Jurnalul Național ''Jurnalul Național'' is a Romanian newspaper, part of the INTACT Media Group led by Dan Voiculescu, which also includes the popular television station Antena 1. The newspaper was launched in 1993. Its headquarters is in Bucharest Buchares ...
'', June 1, 2013
She recalled a visit with him to
Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a List of British royal residences, royal residence at Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, about west of central London. It is strongly associated with the Kingdom of England, English and succee ...
, where "it was truly amusing to see the short gentleman very pleased with himself, catching everything with his glimpse, weighing, judging, taking the measure of people and things, with that small, penetrating, almost wicked eye". Even when meeting
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
, his eye "roved throughout, as if he feared missing something". When he was shown the castle's art treasures, he observed them "with the superior air of a man in the know, of a man who was familiar with valuable collections".


Final years, death, and legacy

As noted by the queen, Kalinderu's "vain, self-satisfied appearance" became "a tireless temptation for caricaturists". During the nine years in which their activity overlapped, the magazine '' Furnica'' made him a buffoonish
stock character A stock character, also known as a character archetype, is a type of character in a narrative (e.g. a novel, play, television show, or film) whom audiences recognize across many narratives or as part of a storytelling tradition or convention. Th ...
in prose, poetry, and cartoons. ''Furnica''s
George Ranetti George or Gheorghe Ranetti, born George Ranete
entry in the University of Floren ...
also circulated serious charges against Kalinderu, accusing him of having run over a child with his car, and implying that he had used his connections to avoid prosecution. During the peasants' revolt, ''Furnica'' published a cartoon showing Kalinderu as a personification of Cajolery, interposing himself between Carol and The Truth (personified by a tenant farmer); issues of that period were confiscated by the
Ministry of Internal Affairs An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the i ...
. Reportedly, Kalinderu himself was generally aware of the mockery, but pretended to be "inviolable", and even incited Ranetti by riding his horse to his office. However, ''Furnica'' gleefully reported, he lost his temper with the painter
Ion Theodorescu-Sion Ion Theodorescu-Sion (; also known as Ioan Theodorescu-Sion or Teodorescu-Sion; January 2, 1882 – March 31, 1939) was a Romanian painter and draftsman, known for his contributions to modern art and especially for his traditionalist, primitivis ...
, who had contributed a set of cartoons to the campaign. According to the magazine, this incident showed his limitations as an art patron. Among Kalinderu's late contributions as a philanthropist was his involvement with the
Romanian Red Cross The Romanian Red Cross (''Crucea Roșie Română'', CRR), also known as the National Society of Red Cross from Romania (''Societatea Națională de Cruce Roșie din România''), is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergen ...
. From October 1912, he served on its general council, alongside Sturdza,
Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino Prince Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino (22 September 1833 – 22 March 1913), was a Romanian politician and lawyer, one of the leading Conservative Party policymakers. Among his political posts were minister of public instruction in Romania, presid ...
, Grigore C. Crăiniceanu,
Nicolae Filipescu Nicolae Filipescu (December 5, 1862 – September 30, 1916) was a Romanian politician. Filipescu was the Mayor of Bucharest between February 1893 and October 1895. It was during his term the first electric tramways circulated in Bucharest. Betwe ...
, and Alexandru Obregia. He spent the better part of 1913 in conflict with the Conservative government, headed by his old rival Maiorescu. Against Maiorescu, Kalinderu tried to persuade Carol not to renew the pact tying Romania to the
Triple Alliance Triple Alliance may refer to: * Aztec Triple Alliance (1428–1521), Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan and in central Mexico * Triple Alliance (1596), England, France, and the Dutch Republic to counter Spain * Triple Alliance (1668), England, the ...
. Arguing that it constituted support for a German hegemony, he managed to postpone its ratification. One of his final gestures was the intervention in favor of a protégé scholar, Orest Tafrali, for whom he obtained a chair at
Iași University The Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (; acronym: UAIC) is a public university located in , Romania. Founded by an 1860 decree of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, under whom the former was converted to a university, the University of , as it was named ...
. He also made returns to scholarship, publishing in 1912 a commentary on the influence of
Byzantine art Byzantine art comprises the body of artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the nations and states that inherited culturally from the empire. Though the empire itself emerged from the decline of Rome, decline of western Rome and ...
on Romanian visual culture. It built on observations made by
Gabriel Millet Gabriel Millet (17 April 1867 – 8 May 1953) was a French archaeologist and historian. Biography After he passed his Agrégation, agrégation of history in 1891, Gabriel Millet became a member of the French School at Athens, then director of ...
. Kalinderu died in December 1913, and was buried at
Bellu Cemetery Șerban Vodă Cemetery (commonly known as Bellu Cemetery) is the largest and most famous cemetery in Bucharest, Romania. It is located on a plot of land donated to the local administration by Baron Barbu Bellu. It has been in use since 1858. T ...
, Plot 5, next to his father and his brother. The funeral witnessed speeches by
Constantin C. Arion Constantin C. Arion (also known as Costică Arion; Constantin Țoiu"Fără șase 1OO (II)", in ''România Literară'', Nr. 37/2003 June 18, 1855 – June 27, 1923) was a Romanian politician, affiliated with the National Liberal Party, the ...
,
Constantin Istrati Constantin I. Istrati (7 September 1850 – 17 January 1919) was a Romanian chemist, physician, and politician. He was Minister of Public Works in 1899–1900, Minister of Agriculture, Industry, Trade, and Domains in 1907, Mayor of Bucharest in 1 ...
, Basile M. Missir, and
Sabba Ștefănescu Sbaa, Hama () is a Syrian village located in Salamiyah Subdistrict in Salamiyah District, Hama Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provi ...
. Kalinderu intended to disinherit his relatives and see his name praised after giving lavish donations to royal and academic institutions of culture; however, none of the wills were written in legal form, so that Kalinderu's wealth largely ended up going to his family. Argetoianu claims that Kalinderu had prepared a will benefiting his favorite institution, but ended up "quarreling with the Academy one year before his death", and failed to clarify his intentions in due time. The mystery and scandal surrounding Kalinderu's last wish inspired a novella by Nicolae M. Condiescu. This fictionalizes one theory, according to which Kalinderu ("Conu Enake" in the story) writes down a will donating his fortune to the academy, then destroys it on a whim. According to historian Matei Cazacu, the same events are also echoed in
Mateiu Caragiale Mateiu Ion Caragiale (; – 17 January 1936), also credited as Matei or Matheiu, or in the antiquated version Mateiŭ,Sorin Antohi"Romania and the Balkans. From Geocultural Bovarism to Ethnic Ontology" in ''Tr@nsit online'', Institut für die Wi ...
's 1929 novel, '' Craii de Curtea-Veche''. From 1914, Kalideru's job at the crown domains went to
Barbu Știrbey Prince Barbu Alexandru Știrbey (; 4 November 1872 – 24 March 1946) was 30th Prime Minister of Romania, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Romania in 1927. Early life and ancestry Born into the prestigious Știrbei, House of Știrbey, he was ...
. That same year, the art museum bearing Ioan and Nicolae's names and containing their respective art collections, established 1907 as the first private art museum in the country, became state property via donation. The museum suffered damages during World War I: its Romanian-art section was evacuated during the
battle of Bucharest The Battle of Bucharest, also known as the '' Argeş– Neajlov Defensive Operation'' in Romania, was the last battle of the Romanian Campaign of 1916 in World War I, in which the Central Powers' combatants, led by General Erich von Falkenhayn ...
, then confiscated by
Bolshevik Russia The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR or RSFSR), previously known as the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and the Russian Soviet Republic, and unofficially as Soviet Russia,Declaration of Rights of the labo ...
. Kalinderu's park at Schitu-Greci was vandalized during the war and, by 1934, had still not been repaired. Reopened during the interwar with the remainder of its collection, the Kalinderu Museum had
Jean Alexandru Steriadi Jean Alexandru Steriadi (29 October 1880 – 23 November 1956) was a Romanian painter and drawing artist. He made portraits and compositions based on a strong, expressive drawing; then he evolved towards impressionistic Impressionism was a ...
as its last director.
Adrian Cioroianu Adrian Mihai Cioroianu (born January 5, 1967, in Craiova, Romania) is a Romanian historian, politician, journalist, and essayist. A lecturer for the History Department at the University of Bucharest, he is the author of several books dealing with ...
, ''Pe umerii lui Marx. O introducere în istoria comunismului românesc'', p. 138. Bucharest:
Editura Curtea Veche Editura Curtea Veche ( Curtea Veche Publishing House) is a publishing house based in Romania, located on Aurel Vlaicu Street 35, Bucharest. It has a tradition in editing works of Romanian literature. After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Curtea V ...
, 2005.
It was eventually closed in 1946, Doinel Tronaru
"Muzeul Kalinderu va renaște din propria-i cenușă"
in ''
România Liberă Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to the east, and the Black Sea t ...
'', September 23, 2005
shortly before the inauguration of a Romanian communist regime. Following the
Romanian Revolution of 1989 The Romanian revolution () was a period of violent civil unrest in Romania during December 1989 as a part of the revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several countries around the world, primarily within the Eastern Bloc. The Romanian revoluti ...
, Kalinderu's work and legacy were revisited: in 2005, a project to reestablish a Kalinderu Museum was being debated. After successively housing the Nicolae Grigorescu Institute of Fine Arts and the Union of Romanian Fine Artists, the museum building has been managed by the National Museum of Art of Romania since 2005, but is not open to the public. In January 2014, the centennial of Kalinderu's death was solemnly marked by the General Association of Romanian Engineers, which discussed opening up a museum of the crown domains in
Segarcea Segarcea is a small town in Dolj County, Oltenia, Romania. It has 7,356 inhabitants (2021 Romanian census, 2021 census), in an area of . The town is located towards the western end of the Wallachian Plain, about north of the Danube and south ...
.


Notes


References

* Constantin Bacalbașa, **''Bucureștii de altădată'', Vol. II. Bucharest: Editura Ziarului ''Universul'', 1928. **''Bucureștii de altădată'', Vols. I, III. Bucharest: Editura Ziarului ''Universul'', 1935–1936. *George Baiculescu, Georgeta Răduică, Neonila Onofrei, ''Publicațiile periodice românești (ziare, gazete, reviste). Vol. II: Catalog alfabetic 1907–1918. Supliment 1790–1906''. Bucharest:
Editura Academiei The Romanian Academy ( ) is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 active members who are elected for life. According to its bylaws, the academy's mai ...
, 1969. *
André Bellessort 1928 André Bellessort (19 March 1866 in Laval, Mayenne – 22 January 1942 in Paris) was a French writer. Biography Bellessort was not only a poet and essayist, but also a traveller who went to Chile, Bolivia, and Japan. He is known for his i ...
, "À travers la Roumanie", in '' Revue des Deux Mondes'', Vol. 25, 1905, pp. 830–873. *Matei Cazacu, "''Craii de Curtea-Veche'' ai lui Mateiu I. Caragiale. Între fantezie și istorie (II)", in ''
Magazin Istoric ''Magazin Istoric'' () is a Romanian monthly magazine. Overview ''Magazin Istoric'' was started in 1967. The first issue appeared in April 1967. The headquarters is in Bucharest. The monthly magazine contains articles and pictures about Romanian ...
'', December 2019, pp. 23–28. * Dimitrie Drăghicescu, ''Din psihologia poporului român. Introducere''. Bucharest: Libraria Leon Alcaly, 1907. *
Ion G. Duca Ion Gheorghe Duca (; 20 December 1879 – 29 December 1933) was a Romanian liberal politician, diplomat, and lawyer who briefly served as Prime Minister from November to December 1933. A leading figure in the National Liberal Party, Duca hel ...
, ''Amintiri politice, I''. Munich: Jon Dumitru-Verlag, 1981. *I. Ionașcu, ''Biserici, chipuri și documente din Olt'', Vol. I. Craiova:
Ramuri ''Ramuri'' ("Twigs" or "Branches") is a Romanian literary magazine put out from Craiova, the regional center of Oltenia region. Its first edition appeared from December 1905, and was closely tied to Nicolae Iorga's ''Sămănătorul'', published i ...
, 1934. * George Ioan Lahovari, Constantin I. Brătianu,
Grigore Tocilescu Grigore George Tocilescu (26 October 1850 – 18 September 1909) was a Romanian historian, archaeologist, epigrapher and folkorist, and member of the Romanian Academy. He was a professor of ancient history at the University of Bucharest, author ...
, ''Marele dicționar geografic al Romîniei. Alcătuit și prelucrat după dicționarele parțiale pe județe'', Vol. II. Bucharest: Stab. Grafic J. V. Socecŭ, 1899. *
Alexandru Marghiloman Alexandru Marghiloman (4 July 1854 – 10 May 1925) was a Romanian conservative statesman who served for a short time in 1918 (March–October) as Prime Minister of Romania, and had a decisive role during World War I. Early career Born in Bu ...
, ''Note politice'', Vol. I. Bucharest: Editura Institutului de Arte Grafice Eminescu, 1927. *N. Mihaesco, "Séance du 13 février 1901. — La Roumanie à l'Exposition Universelle", in ''Revue Internationale de Sociologie'', Vol. 9, Issue 3, March 1901, pp. 194–214. *Narcisa Maria Mitu, "Organizarea și administrarea Domeniilor Coroanei", in ''Analele Universității din Craiova. Seria Istorie'', Vol. XVI, Issue 1, 2011, pp. 303–315. *Lucian Nastasă, ''"Suveranii" universităților românești. Mecanisme de selecție și promovare a elitei intelectuale'', Vol. I. Cluj-Napoca: Editura Limes, 2007. * Florin Pădurean
"D'ale lui Conu' Iancu Kalinderu. Priviri critice asupra vieții unui academician"
in ''Revista Bibliotecii Academici Române'', Vol. I, Issue 1, January–June 2016, pp. 77–85. * Radu R. Rosetti, ''Mărturisiri, I''. Bucharest:
Convorbiri Literare ''Convorbiri Literare'' () is a Romanian literary magazine published in Romania. It is among the most important journals of the nineteenth-century Romania. History and profile ''Convorbiri Literare'' was founded by Titu Maiorescu in 1867. The ma ...
, 1933 *Tamara Teodorescu, Rodica Fochi, Florența Sădeanu, Liana Miclescu, Lucreția Angheluță, ''Bibliografia românească modernă (1831–1918). Vol. II: D–K''. Bucharest: Editura științifică și enciclopedică, 1986. *Mariu Theodorian-Carada, ''Efemeridele. Insemnări & amintiri. Întâiul volum''. Bucharest: Tipografia Capitalei, 1930. *
Gheorghe Zane Gheorghe Zane (April 11, 1897 – May 22, 1978) was a Romanian economist and historian. Born in Galați, he attended Vasile Alecsandri National College before enrolling in the law faculty of the University of Iași. He graduated from that instit ...
, ''Economia de schimb în Principatele Române''. Bucharest: Editura Casei Școalelor, 1930. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kalinderu, Ioan 1840 births 1913 deaths Presidents of the Romanian Academy Members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration Romanian judges of international courts and tribunals Agrarian politics 19th-century Romanian judges 19th-century male writers 20th-century Romanian male writers 19th-century Romanian historians Romanian classical scholars Legal historians Social historians Historians of ancient Rome 19th-century essayists 20th-century essayists Romanian essayists Male essayists 20th-century biographers Romanian biographers Male biographers Romanian writers in French Romanian magazine editors Romanian magazine founders Academic journal editors Romanian civil servants Căile Ferate Române people Diplomats from Bucharest National Liberal Party (Romania) politicians Romanian political candidates Romanian philanthropists Romanian activists 19th-century Romanian farmers 20th-century Romanian farmers Romanian agrarianists Romanian agronomists Romanian agriculturalists Romanian conservationists Romanian bankers Romanian industrialists Romanian economists Home economists Forestry academics Romanian businesspeople in timber Romanian educational theorists Adult education leaders Romanian textbook writers Literacy advocates Founders of Romanian schools and colleges Romanian temperance activists Romanian art collectors Nobility from Bucharest Members of the Church of Greece Members of the Romanian Orthodox Church University of Paris alumni Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour Cycling in Romania Skiing in Romania Red Cross personnel Burials at Bellu Cemetery