Artwork
Tablou, ulei pe pânză, ”Nicolae Ceaușescu, președinte”, nesemnat, atribuit I.C. Popescu - Stolojan. Nicolae Ceaușescu este prezentat în momentul învestirii în funcția de președinte al Republicii Socialiste România. Poartă însemnele funcției eșarfa tricoloră, sceptrul prezidențial. Sala Marii Adunări Naționale a fost înlocută cu un fundal agricol - un lan de grâu treierat de o combină. Pupitrul este decorat cu trandafiri și iriși. Oferit de autor, 1976.

Tablou, ulei pe pânză, ”Nicolae Ceaușescu, președinte”, nesemnat, atribuit I.C. Popescu - Stolojan. Nicolae Ceaușescu este prezentat în momentul învestirii în funcția de președinte al Republicii Socialiste România. Poartă însemnele funcției eșarfa tricoloră, sceptrul prezidențial. Sala Marii Adunări Naționale a fost înlocută cu un fundal agricol - un lan de grâu treierat de o combină. Pupitrul este decorat cu trandafiri și iriși. Oferit de autor, 1976. is a print by I.C. Popescu - Stolojan. It is held in the collection of the National Museum of Romanian History. The oil on canvas portrays Nicolae Ceaușescu at the moment of his inauguration as President of the Socialist Republic of Romania.
About this work
Overview
The oil on canvas portrays Nicolae Ceaușescu at the moment of his inauguration as President of the Socialist Republic of Romania. He is seated at a table, dressed in a dark suit, with a tricolour sash draped over his shoulder and a presidential scepter in his hand. The composition was offered by the artist in 1976 and is attributed to I.C. Popescu‑Stolojan.
Subject & Meaning
Ceaușescu is shown holding a book and a ceremonial baton, symbols of authority, while a medal bearing a sun motif rests on his chest.
Ceaușescu is shown holding a book and a ceremonial baton, symbols of authority, while a medal bearing a sun motif rests on his chest. The table is lavishly arranged with red roses and white irises, suggesting a blend of political power and cultivated beauty. The background replaces the actual hall of the Great National Assembly with an agrarian scene, perhaps alluding to the regime’s emphasis on agricultural progress.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil, the painting combines realistic portraiture with a staged, almost theatrical backdrop. The figures are detailed and sharply defined, whereas the surrounding wheat field and distant combine harvester are depicted with broader, softer brushwork, creating a contrast between the formal figure and the idealised countryside.
History & Provenance
Created in 1976, the work was presented by the artist as a gift, likely intended for official display. Though unsigned, it has been consistently attributed to I.C. Popescu‑Stolojan. The canvas now resides in the Museum of Ethnography, where it is part of the collection documenting Romania’s political visual culture.
Context
The painting reflects the cult of personality surrounding Ceaușescu during the 1970s, a period when state propaganda frequently merged political iconography with motifs of national productivity, such as wheat fields and mechanised agriculture, to convey the leader’s role as both ruler and steward of the nation’s prosperity.
Artist & collection
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