Theodor Aman - Interior de harem

His father was a cavalry commander from Craiova but he was born in Câmpulung, where his family had fled to escape the plague. After displaying an early affinity for art, he took his first lessons with Constantin Lecca and Carol Wallenstein de Vellaat Carol I National College. In 1850, he went to Paris, where he studied briefly with Michel Martin Drolling then, after Drolling's death, with François-Édouard Picot. While there, he became part of the Romanian revolutionary circles. In 1853 he has his first display at the Salon in Paris, showing his Autoportrait. While in Paris, he became friends with other like-minded artists and Romanian revolutionaries such as Nicolae Bălcescu, and the writers Dimitrie Bolintineanu, and Cezar Bolliac. In this environment, influenced by revolutionary ideas, Aman completed the historical themed painting “Mihai VIteazul’s First Night”, which was inspired by the writings of Bolintineanu.