Portrait Miniature: King Carol I of Romania

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Familia regala, King Carol I, Romanian Royal Family, Royal jewels

This portrait miniature by Johannes Zehngraf was auctioned at Christie’s in November 2012.

King Carol I of Romania, in black coat with gold collar and epaulettes, wearing numerous orders and medals including the chain of the Order of the House of Hohenzollern, the breast-stars of the Order of the Crown of Romania and the Star of Romania, the jewel of the Royal Prussian Order Pour le Mérite. Signed ‘Zehngraf’ (lower left), on ivory oval, 2¼ in. (58 mm.) high, rectangular gold-bordered nephrite easel-stand frame set with enamel flowerheads. It was estimated between 2,000 – 3,000 GBP and sold for 11,875 GBP ($19,000).

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‘El Castillo Real de Peles’, article published in Spain

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Familia regala, istoria regalitatii, King Carol I, King Michael of Romania, Pelesh Castle, Romanian Royal Family, Royal Palaces, Rumania

View this document on Scribd

I would like to present you an article of mine published recently in Revista de Museologia #52, Madrid, about Pelesh Royal Castle in the Transylvanian Alps, built by King Carol I.

‘The Crown of Romania’ trailer

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Diana Mandache, European royal families, Familia regala, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, istoria regalitatii, King Carol I, King Carol II of Romania, King Ferdinand, King Michael of Romania, Regele Carol I, Regele Carol II, Regele Ferdinand, Regele Mihai, Valentin Mandache

This is a trailer from the documentary film entitled “Coroana Romaniei” (“The Crown of Romania”), directed by Marian Baciu from Sahia Studios in Bucharest, produced in 2010. The author of this blog presents the reigns of King Carol I, King Carol II, and His Majesty King Michael, together with the historian Valentin Mandache. King Ferdinand and his achievements are likewise surveyed. DM

Painted Bible of Queen Elisabeth of Romania

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Carmen Sylva, Curtea de Arges, Familia regala, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, istoria regalitatii, King Carol I, Queen Elizabeth of Romania, Regina Elisabeta

The painted Bible of Queen Elisabeth of Romania (1886-1892) dedicated to the Cathedral Curtea de Arges and exhibited there, remains a wonderful and precious piece of work, designed in an arts & crafts manner.

Photos by Diana Mandache

Bucharest recovers its royal past: the equestrian statue of King Carol I

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Crown Princess Margarita of Romania, European royal families, Familia regala, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, istoria regalitatii, King Carol I, Principele Radu, Principesa Margareta, Regele Carol I, Romanian Royal Family, South-East European Monarchs

HRH Princess Margarita of Romania, Bucharest, 6 December 2010

HRH Princess Margarita and HRH Prince Radu, representatives of HM King Michael and HM Queen Anne, at the re-inauguration of King Carol I equestrian statue in Bucharest, 6 Dec 2010 (©Valentin Mandache)

 

Old photo from the early 1940s showing the original statue of King Carol I by Ivan Mestrovic, Bucharest (Diana Mandache collection)

The original statue was the master-work of the famous Croatian/ Yugoslav sculptor Ivan Mestovic and has been inaugurated on 10 May 1939, the National Day of the Romanian Kingdom.  The statue has been pulled down by the communist government in 1948, a few months after the forced abdication of the King Michael, in a barbaric show of force using Soviet tanks to tear down the structure.

All rights reserved ©Diana Mandache’s Weblog

Cotroceni Royal Palace: The Princess’s Boudoir

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Diana Mandache, European royal families, Familia regala, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, istoria regalitatii, King Carol I, King Ferdinand, Queen Marie of Romania, Regele Ferdinand, Regina Maria, Romanian Royal Family, Royal Palaces

This is a drawing dating from 1893 and is an interior design proposal for Princess Marie’s boudoir at the time when the French architect Paul Gottereau started the works for the rebuilding of  Cotroceni palace. The edifice was the official residence of Ferdinand & Marie. This design proposal was sent for the approval of Princess Marie. Unfortunately in the contemporary Cotroceni palace not all of the old decorations or furniture seen in the drawing above are still in place, due to the vicisitudes endured by this building over the ensuing decades, events that ranged from natural to human catastrophes such as earthquakes or the communist takeover in 1947. DM

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I endeavor in the “Weekly Pictures” post series to bring to light worthy of note, often less known images from the royal past and present and thus further enhance the understanding of royal history and what it represents for us.

Weekly picture: ©Diana Mandache’s weblog Royal History

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material is strictly prohibited

Less known painting of King Carol I in his early years in Romania

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Cotroceni Royal Palace, Diana Mandache, European royal families, Familia regala, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, istoria regalitatii, King Carol I, Palatul Regal Cotroceni, Regele Carol I, Romanian Royal Family, Royal Palaces

King Carol I at his desk, Cotroceni Palace (1870s), painting by Carol Popp de Szathmary (Diana Mandache's Weblog: Royal History)

King Carol I of Romania at his  desk in the old Palace at Cotroceni (Bucharest), 1870s.

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Diana Mandache’s Weblog: Royal History

Weekly Picture: King Carol I of Romania, Birthday anniversary

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European royal families, Familia regala, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, istoria regalitatii, King Carol I, Regele Carol I, Romanian Royal Family

see Reminiscences of the King of Romania (1899)

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I endeavor in the “Weekly Pictures” post series to bring to light worthy of note, often less known images from the royal past and present and thus further enhance the understanding of royal history and what it represents for us.

Weekly picture: ©Diana Mandache’s weblog Royal History

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Prince Carol of Romania’s Image in a French Newspaper 1866

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European royal families, Familia regala, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, istoria regalitatii, King Carol I, Noblesse et Royautés, Regele Carol I, Romanian Royal Family, South-East European Monarchs

The old images – photographs, engravings etc – are the most suggestive descriptions for a historic epoch, with an excellent visual impact. For this reason I choose to post on my blog many different images showing European royals in various moments of their life. Here is one such example showing the founder of the Romanian dynasty, Prince Karl Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, shortly after he arrived in his adoptive country in May 1866. This is one one of his earliest images in a French newspaper,  L’Univers Illustre (July 1866).

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©Diana Mandache’s Weblog Royal History