Intercurricular - Romanian buildings in art and literature

Art teacher Adrian Rus, English teacher Liliana Oltean-Gocan. Nicolae

Pestean, David Prodan School, Cluj-Napoca

Age of students: 11-12 years old

Timetable: 3 hours

Subject: Romanian traditional castle and houses in stories

Needed materials: 2 pieces of card A4 sheet of paper , black textile, Brush and cup of water. Water soluble markers, Glue, Scissors, wood, sticks

Number of students: 20, (9 girls, 11 boys)

Motivation: The aim of this lesson is to make known the literature from Transylvanian region of Romania, while working handicraft about traditional Romanian houses and garden. We are developing knowledge about the village and the traditional customs from this part of the country, bouth interesting and original.

Working process: Teacher will introduce this lesson with a visual of the four categories: house, castle, church and garden. He teach about Transilvania region, castle and Vlad Tepes history: TRANSYLVANIA whose name derives from the Latin “TRANSILVANA” (the country beyond the forests) lies in the center of Romania, being surrounded by the Carpathian mountains.  Ts very name brings to mind visions of mountain peaks, rising up to the sky, above wooded valleys and sparkling streams, visions of high-roofed wooden churches, legendary castles and a troubled history.

Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, Wallachia and Moldavia offered strong resistance to The Ottoman Empire expansion towards Europe. During this struggle the prince of Wallachia, Vlad Tepes (known as the Impaler, because he rarely ate a meal without a Turk writheing on a stake in front of him), became a hero; he later became associated with Dracula. Vlad Tepes was also known as Dracula, a name that became the source of an abundant literature, the prototype of a bloody tyrant. In fact, this was his father’s name, Vlad Dracul (with the origin in the Dragons Order, a chivalrous Order of that time). As a consequence, he became the Devil’s son, Draculea, Dracula.

The Saxons from Transylvania, who were menaced to lose their privileges by the protectionist policy of the Wallachia voivode, spread the tales on Tepes cruelties. We can consider, anyway, that Vlad Tepes was a man of his times, since the cruelty was one of the methods used by the rulers to reach their goals.

Teacher will emphasize the importance of Ancient Romanian architecture and explain how today’s society has been inspired by Ancient Romanian art, law, literature and architecture. Students and teacher will describe the design to each order. Teacher will demonstrate folding technique for houses, but won’t tell them what he is making thus-having students guess what is being made. Teacher shows ways to decorate castles or houses, using sticks of wood, textile materials and paper, ask what they could add (students will suggest doors, windows-talk about different shapes, shingles, flowers outside house, lines to show siding on house, etc.- you can open the sides of the castle / house and draw a person inside or things inside the house) It’s good to have some photos of real houses to show shingles, etc..

Teacher show slides of student made houses by sticks of wood. Students fold house following steps for folding house with the teacher. Students decorate house using markers, colored pencils, crayons, etc..

Sleepy birds

All those sleepy birds  

Now tired from flight

Hide among the leaves

Good-night!

Only the spring whispers

When the wood sleeps silently;

Even flowers in the gardens

Sleep peacefully!

Swans glide to their nest

Sheltering among the reeds

May angels guard your rest,

Sweet dreams!

Above a night of sorcery

Comes the moon’s graceful light,

All is peace and harmony

Good-night!

The Lake

Water lilies load all over

The blue lake amid the woods,

That imparts, while in white circles

Startling, to a boat its moods.

And along the strands I’m passing

Listening, waiting, in unrest,

That she from the reeds may issue

And fall, gently, on my breast;

That we may jump in the little

Boat, while water’s voices whelm

All our feelings; that enchanted

I may drop my oars and helm;

That all charmed we may be floating

While moon’s kindly light surrounds

Us, winds cause the reeds to rustle

And the waving water sounds.

But she does not come; abandoned,

Vainly I endure and sigh

Lonely, as the water lilies

On the blue lake ever lie.

Intercurricular - Birds from Romanian poems used in origami

Art teacher Adrian Rus, Romanian teacher Rodica Pop, Adriana Rus, English teacher Liliana Oltean-Gocan. Nicolae Pestean, David Prodan School, Cluj-Napoca

Age of students: 13-15 years old

Timetable: 3 hours

Subject: Birds from Romanian poems used in origami activity

Needed materials: White paper, color paper, special origami paper, caligrams (calligraphy in picture),Brush and cup of water, Water soluble markers, Glue, Scissors

Bibliography: M. Eminescu – Poems , www. romanianvoice.com, www. origami .com

Number of students: 18, (10 girls, 8 boys)

Motivation: Many poems from Romanian literature use the birds to express the idea of infinity of flying in the universe and of a peaceful life. Origami is a relatively painless way to have kids realize the importance of sequencing. Teachers spend a lot of time with some kids because the child doesn’t understand that some things have to be done in a certain order of steps to be successful. The concept of “first things first” has to be learned. Kids don’t give much verbal feedback to a teacher, but they have told me they really liked learning origami.

They don’t say it is easy, but they do say they like it! I think that there is one reason why they do like it, it does requires concentration and care, it does take many steps, it makes you feel like you have conquered something when you finish. Best of all, you end up with a very cool model. This magic of turning a flat piece of paper into a three dimensional sculpture is, perhaps, the most enchanting feature of origami.

Working process: Teacher will introduce this lesson with a the poems of our national writer, Mihai Eminescu, life and activity.

Biography

1850, January 15 Is born in Botosani, the seventh of the eleven children of Gheorghe

and Raluca Eminovici

1858-1860 After learning to classes at home, his father takes him abroad, in

Bucovina, than in Austro-Hungarian empire, to Cernauti. In the passport is written that Mihai has 8 years, “black hair, black eyes, suited nose and darkish face”. In the III and IV class he is in “National-Hauptschule” (a Greek-oriental primary school). He lives at Aron Pumnul (teacher and revolutionist from Transylvania), friend of his father. The other brothers are in gymnasium. Mihai learns well enough, but the military program and home sick determines him to run away, on foot, till Ipotesti. Whipped by his father is obliged to go back to Cernauti.

1860-1863 Goes to gymnasium. Good results in the first class (“excellent” at Romanian language, “very good” at history), but in the second class he goes like a crawfish, neglecting mathematics and Latin language, repeats the class. Runs away again to Ipotesti, is whipped again by his father, who takes him tied up to Cernauti. Repeats the second class but after Easter (1863) he is no longer in the class register.

1865-1866 Mihai has another chance to continue his high school studies in Cernauti, privately. He takes care of Aron Pumnul’s library.

1869-1872 In Wien, the capital of the Habsburgic empire is student at the University. Because he does not have the diploma from finishing high school he is and “extraordinary student” not an ordinary one. He takes courses of philosophy, law, economy, Romanic languages, anatomy etc. He write a lot.

1870 Collaborates at the review Convorbiri literare from Iasi with the poem Venere si Madona. In the summer I. Negruzzi finds him in Wien, inviting him to Iasi. He meets (March 1872) the beautiful Veronica Micle, on treatment in Wien.

1871, August 15 Participates at the 400 anniversary of the Putna monastery, being one of the organisers.

1872-1874 Leaves Wien and come, through Botosani, to Iasi. On September 1 reads at Junimea society the poem Egipetul and the short story Sarmanul Dionis. Impressed, the members of the society decide to support his studies in Berlin. Titu Maiorescu wanted him to be “doctor in philosophy” and his successor at the Iasi University. Eminescu studies at Humboldt University in Berlin several sources. Maiorescu sends him 100 ducats for his doctorate, but suddenly Eminescu leaves Berlin, renouncing to take the exams. Goes to Konigsberg, the town of the philosopher Kant, searching documents about Romanians history. In the summer of 1874 he arrives in Iasi without taking his doctor title. Maiorescu names him director of the Central Library, he is sworning in before Stefan Micle, the rector and husband of Veronica. He is invited to the literary evenings of Veronica Micle. Teaches German at the academical Institute.

1875 Named by Maiorescu school reviser for Iasi and Vaslui counties, visits many schools and makes detailed reports.

1876 Leaves the newspaper after a conflict with other member from the staff. Leaves Iasi where he has created the pearls from the veronian cycle: “Fat-Frumos din tei”, “Calin”, “Lacul”, “Dorinta”, “Peste varfuri” s.o.

1877-1883 Journalist at the conservatory newspaper Timpul. His exhausted work at articles and poems, his disorderly life, his bohemian nature, all contribute to his physical crush. His illness begin, he has head aches.

1875-1883 Time of his masterpieces: “Luceafarul”, Scrisorile (5), “Doina” s.o. November 2 1883 he arrives in Wien, accompanied by his friend Chibici-Ravneanu, being interned at Ober-Dobling Sanatorium. Is published the first edition of Eminescu’s poems, looked after by Maiorescu.

1884-1885 Lives in Iasi. Travels in Italy (with Chibici). Takes baths at Liman, near Odessa.

June 15, 1889 His death will come from an old endocarditis. Is buried at Bellu Cemetery with national honors.

Using poem and caligrams we create the bird for collective picture:

1.Crease and unfold a vertical diagonal, then fold D up to A.

2. Fold the triangle inside from both sides along the marked line to the centre crease

3. Fold out corners B and C along the marking

4. Pull out D from inside A

5. Flatten D on top of A

6. Turn over

7. Separate A and D by pulling A and D out separately along the thicker line and

bringing C to touch B

8. Lift up corner C, flattening the paper at the left

9. Fold B behind (backwords)

10. Reverse fold D. Fold the bottom corners out to make the bird sit.

11. The bird is ready

Students decorate birds using markers, colored pencils, crayons, etc..

Abstract by the teacher: This talent is obviously useful to visual artists, but it is also of the greatest use to our creative scientists and engineers.The ability to visualize, to actually “see” in your head, a shape you want to fold is a talent that can be strengthened with simple practice.

Many students needed help to get started and the teacher helped them. The works were presented in a corridor exhibition and the students were proud to present their works of arts to other students. The teacher underline the importance of origami, caligrams and vocational work and their role in the prosperity of the society.

 

  Romania is a country with old popular traditions, that have been kept for a long time and are promoted nowadays as a special and wonderful art.

  Romania is known for its simple, hardworking, welcoming people, for its traditions and especially  for its history and culture.

The playwright Eugen Ionesco, the sculptor Constantin Brancusi , the composer George Enescu, the count Dracula from the Carpathians, are only a few famous characters from the Romanian history and culture.

 

Vlad III, Dracula, ruled Wallachia three times in 1448, 1456-1462, and 1476. He gained the name Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) because his favourite method of punishing his enemies, impaling on a wooden stake. Vlad achieved renown beyond Wallachia's borders as a successful fighter against the Turks and a ruthless ruler. He is seen by Romanians as a national hero, credited by historians as a key figure in the evolution of the country's independence, in a leaque with the Devil by the Saxons, Turkish and Germans in the 15-16th century, cruel but just by the Russians. His tales and legends are still alive. He fired the imagination of Bram Stroker. He was outrageously bloodthirsty, but he was not a vampire .

  Fifteenth century Wallachian prince Vlad Tepes is credited with being Dracula, the vampire-count featured in the classic horror story Dracula (1897) written by novelist Bram Stroker. Romanians make no association between the vampire and the historical figure of prince Vlad III, known in his homeland as Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), prince of Wallachia three times, in 1448, 1456-1462 and 1475. Vlad achieved renown beyond Wallachia's borders as a successful fighter against the Turks and a ruthless ruler. Notorious for his brutal punishment methods, he gained the name Tepes (impaler) after his favourite form of punishing his enemies - impaling on a wooden stake. His method of law enforcement was simple: all crimes and individuals offending him were punished by death.The offenders would have to die in agony. Impaling was not unique in Europe. Tepes first cousin, Stephen the Great, is said to have impaled over 2300 Turkish prisoners in 1473. 

 
Vlad Tepes reputation for cruelty spread throughout the Germanic world via the newly invented printing presses, whose pamphlets were the bestsellers of the fifteenth century. In 1462 a German manuscript appeared publishing his monstrous deeds, and this was followed by many more in Russia and Germany. No paintings of Vlad have been found in Wallachian churches.
  A copy of the 15th century original portrait now hangs in Ambras Castle in the Tyrol, and a miniature in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

 

Romanian tradition in curriculum


         Romanian handicraftsmen have taken over and kept the tradition for generations, from father to son.

  • through the objects they created, they express their feelings and emotions but they also contribute to the promotion of our Romanian culture in other countries.
  • The passion and dedication this people have put into their works is and will always be appreciated by the Romanian people.

       The traditional colours in Romanian ceramics are: ochre, green and blue, and the subjects in the decoration of the ceramics are inspired from our landscapes (geometrical figures, animals, flowers).