The Argeș County Museum () is a government institution and visitor attraction based in

Pitești Pitești () is a city in Romania, located on the river Argeș (river), Argeș. The capital and largest city of Argeș County, it is an important commercial and industrial center, as well as the home of two universities. Pitești is situated in th ...

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 ...

. Formally inaugurated in 1955, it is headquartered in an 1890s palace in the city center. Topics of its permanent exhibits include history, ecology, folk art and minerals. Additionally, a fine arts gallery is located in the former city hall, while three other sites elsewhere in the county are also administered by the museum.

Background and description

The museum is headquartered at 44 Armand Călinescu Street, in the former Argeș County Administrative Palace. The structure was built in 1898–1899 according to the plans of architect

Dimitrie Maimarolu Dimitrie Maimarolu (1859 in Bucharest – 1926) was a Romanian architect, whose designs featured French Beaux-Arts style. He came from an Aromanian family, with roots in Macedonia. He studied architecture in France, first with Julien Guade ...

, while Mihail Manolescu was

prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect' ...

. The land previously belonged to the Buliga

skete A skete () is a monastic community in Eastern Christianity that allows relative isolation for monks, but also allows for communal services and the safety of shared resources and protection. It is one of four types of early monastic orders, alo ...

, and the funds for construction came in the form of a loan of 140,000 lei from a

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 ...

bank, guaranteed by the

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 ...

-led Liberal government. Done in an

eclectic style Eclecticism is a kind of mixed style in the fine arts: "the borrowing of a variety of styles from different sources and combining them" . Significantly, Eclecticism hardly ever constituted a specific style in art: it is characterized by the fact t ...

, it fits within the framework of French academicism. The plan is symmetric and U-shaped, with a basement, ground floor and second floor; the building forms an imposing presence in the city center. The grooved columns are both Ionic and

composite Composite or compositing may refer to: Materials * Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances ** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts ** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic material ...

. The

pediment Pediments are a form of gable in classical architecture, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the cornice (an elaborated lintel), or entablature if supported by columns.Summerson, 130 In an ...

features symbolic bas-reliefs and

acroteria An acroterion, acroterium, (pl. akroteria) is an architectural ornament placed on a flat pedestal called the ''acroter'' or plinth, and mounted at the apex or corner of the pediment of a building in the classical style. An acroterion placed ...

. The cornices are denticulate, there is

egg-and-dart Egg-and-dart, also known as egg-and-tongue, egg-and-anchor, or egg-and-star, is an Ornament (architecture), ornamental device adorning the fundamental quarter-round, convex ovolo profile of molding (decorative), moulding, consisting of alternating ...

moulding, as well as

meanders A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank or river cliff) and deposits sediments on an inn ...

, decorative balustrades, semicircular niches,

bossage Bossage is uncut stone that is laid in place in a building, projecting outward from the building, to later be carved into decorative moldings, capitals, arms, etc. Bossages are also rustic work, consisting of stones which seem to advance beyond ...

in strong relief and medallions. Local artist Iosef Materna painted the ceiling of the staircase hall. The building housed the Argeș County Prefecture from 1899 to 1950, the Argeș Region Council from 1950 to 1968 and the Argeș County Council from 1968 to 1970. It has been used by the museum since 1970, and is considered a

historic monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, historical ...

by the country's Culture Ministry,''Enciclopedia Argeșului și Muscelului'' – P
, at the University of Piteștibr>''Enciclopedia Argeșului și Muscelului'' site
, p. 191-92 as are the adjacent park and public garden. The museum's roots lie in the Gheorghe Ionescu-Gion Popular Athenaeum, which was hosted by a Pitești primary school from 1928 to 1946, and by the Argeș Cultural Center from 1948 to 1950. From 1950 to 1955, its collections were kept in storage. The museum as such was founded in 1955, and was located in the Argeș Tribunal or Cultural Palace from 1955 to 1957 and in the Fostiropol House or Popular Art School from 1957 to 1970, before moving to its present location. The building was expanded in 2000 and in 2004. Permanent exhibitions include fine arts (1971–), folk art (1971–), history (1974–), ecology and environmental protection (1977–), sports (2008–), a planetarium (2008–), mineral crystals (2009–), numismatics (2009–) and an astronomical observatory. There are storage spaces as well as restoration laboratories.

Annexes

Other sites administered by the museum include the

Dacia Dacia (, ; ) was the land inhabited by the Dacians, its core in Transylvania, stretching to the Danube in the south, the Black Sea in the east, and the Tisza in the west. The Carpathian Mountains were located in the middle of Dacia. It thus ro ...

n Castrum of Jidava in

Câmpulung Câmpulung (also spelled ''Cîmpulung'', , , Old Romanian ''Dlăgopole'', ''Длъгополе'' (from Middle Bulgarian), or ''Câmpulung Muscel'') is a municipiu, city in Argeș County, Muntenia, Romania. It is attested on the Fra Mauro map fro ...

(1969–), the

Dinu Lipatti Constantin "Dinu" Lipatti (; 2 December 1950) was a Romanian classical pianist and composer whose career was cut short by his death from effects related to Hodgkin's disease at age 33. He was elected posthumously to the Romanian Academy. He comp ...

House at Ciolcești (1985–) and

Poenari Castle Poenari Castle (), also known as Poenari Citadel (''Cetatea Poenari'' in Romanian), is a ruined castle in Romania which was a home of Vlad the Impaler. at the Wayback Machine The citadel is situated on top of a mountain and accessed by climbing ...

Arefu Arefu is a commune in Argeș County, Muntenia, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Arefu, Căpățânenii Pământeni (the commune center), and Căpățânenii Ungureni. In Popular Culture * In the game Fallout 3, a settlement in the Capi ...

(2009–). The museum formerly had charge of

Dâmbovicioara Dâmbovicioara is a Commune in Romania, commune in Argeș County, Muntenia, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Ciocanu, Dâmbovicioara, and Podu Dâmboviței. Geography Nestled on the southern slopes of the Southern Carpathians, the commu ...

Cave (1960–2002) and the

Liviu Rebreanu Liviu Rebreanu (; November 27, 1885 – September 1, 1944) was a Romanian novelist, playwright, short story writer, and journalist. Life Born in Felsőilosva (now Târlișua, Bistrița-Năsăud County, Transylvania), then part of the King ...

Memorial House at Valea Mare (1969–2008). The museum has a photographic archive and runs archaeological digs. It also has a specialized library (1957–), a journal (1968–), an annual scientific conference (1970–) and a publishing house (2007–).''Enciclopedia Argeșului și Muscelului'' – M
, at the University of Piteștibr>''Enciclopedia Argeșului și Muscelului'' site
, p. 123 While the folk art section is located in the main building, the fine arts gallery, named after

Rudolf Schweitzer-Cumpăna Rudolf Schweitzer-Cumpăna (May 7, 1886 – February 17, 1975) was a Romanian painter. Born in Pitești into an ethnic German Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German d ...

, has been housed since 1970 at the old city hall on 33 Republicii Boulevard. The building is itself a historic monument, as is the abutting park. Planned by architect Ion N. Socolescu and built in 1885–1886, it is in the French style of the time, with a ground floor and upper story. The main entrance is surrounded by four columns, the central hallway has a wide staircase, and the interior features decorative elements such as stucco ornamentation. The ceiling of the former city council room was also painted by Materna. Among the artists in the gallery's collection are

Theodor Aman Theodor Aman (20 March 1831 – 19 August 1891) was a Romanian painter, engraver and art professor. He mostly produced genre and history scenes. Biography His father was a cavalry commander from Craiova but he was born in Câmpulung, where his ...

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 ...

Sava Henția Sava Henția (1 February 1848, Sebeșel - 21 February 1904, Sebeșel) was an Austrian Empire, Imperial Austrian-born Romanian painter, decorator and illustrator. Biography He was one of fourteen surviving children of a priest. In 1862, after finis ...

, Jean Alexandru Steriadi,

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 ...

, Dumitru Ghiață, Ion Țuculescu, Vasile Popescu,

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, ...

and Schweitzer-Cumpăna.Muzeul Județean Argeș
at the Argeș County Council site Funding sources for the museum include the Argeș County Council and the Culture Ministry. Muzeul Judetean Arges Pitesti 08.jpg, Side view RO AG - Primăria veche, azi Muzeul de Artă.jpg, Art museum Castra Jidava - Hipocaust.jpg,

Hypocaust A hypocaust () is a system of central heating in a building that produces and circulates hot air below the floor of a room, and may also warm the walls with a series of pipes through which the hot air passes. This air can warm the upper floors a ...

at Jidava Cetatea Poenari, AG.jpg, Poenari Castle

Notes

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arges County Museum Pitești Government buildings completed in 1899 Prefecture buildings in Romania Government buildings completed in 1886 City and town halls in Romania Historic monuments in Argeș County 1955 establishments in Romania Tourist attractions in Argeș County Art museums and galleries in Romania History museums in Romania