Image description
He is a man over 45 years old, with short and bulk hair, big eyes, bushy eyebrows, long and straight nose, prominent cheeks, dressed in a suit.
The broad forehead is contoured by the texture of curved and thin lines, representing the hair combed on the back.
The collar of the shirt is rendered by circles.
The classic jacket is highlighted by a wavy texture.
He wears a tie rendered by a prominent texture with crowded, plain rhombuses.
Historical information
George Călinescu was born on 19 June, 1899, in Bucharest. He is considered one of the most important Romanian literary critics of all time, alongside Titu Maiorescu or Eugen Lovinescu. He made his debut as a journalist in 1920, in the pages of “Dimineața”(the Morning) newspaper.
George Călinescu studied at the University of Bucharest, at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. He obtained his degree in Letters in 1923, becoming a professor of Italian at various high schools in Bucharest and Timisoara. Then he went to Rome for two years, thanks to a scholarship offered by the Romanian Academy.
In 1926, George Călinescu reads for the first time at Eugen Lovinescu’s cenacle, “Sburătorul” and starts with lyrics in the “Universul literar”. He also edits the magazines “Sinteza”, in 1927, in collaboration with other writers, and two issues of his personal magazine “Capricorn”, in 1930.
The most productive experience is that of a columnist in the magazine “Viața literară”, starting in 1931. In the same year he became a lecturer of Romanian literature.
George Călinescu was the author of several fundamental studies on great Romanian writers:
Mihai Eminescu, Ion Creangă. His best-known work remains ” Enigma Otiliei”, published in 1938. In 1941, he wrote the monumental work „Istoria literaturii române de la origini până în prezent” (The history of Romanian literature from its origins to the present day), which studies the evolution of the Romanian literary phenomenon.
After 1945, he published significant studies and essays on world literature. He continued presiding over numerous conferences and writing thousands of critical reviews in dozens of magazines.
In 1953, George Călinescu published the novel ,,Bietul Ioanide”, and since 1956, he has returned to the literary life through a permanent section – Cronicile optimistului – held in the ,,Contemporanul” Cultural Week.
After an impressive literary career, George Călinescu died on March 12, 1965, following a liver disease.
Bibliography
- Sabina Dumitru, 54 years old without George Calinescu, one of the most important literary critics of all time, available online at https://editiadedimineata.ro/54-de-ani-fara-george-calinescu-unul-dintre-cei-mai-importanti-critici-literari-din-toate-timpurile/, accessed December 19 2019.
- Vlada Afteni, George Călinescu (Gheorghe Vișan), biography (1899-1965), available online at http://www.istoria.md/articol/597/George_C%C4%83linescu__Gheorghe_Vi%C5%9Fan_,_biografie, accessed December 19 2019.
- Ionuț Vornicu, George Călinescu, available online at https://www.ro.biography.name/scriitori/8-romania/61-george-calinescu-1899-1965, accessed December 19 2019
- https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C%C4%83linescu
