Vasile Dobrian

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Vasile Dobrian was a Romanian avant-garde painter, graphic artist and poet who graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Bucharest in 1934. Alongside Aurel Mărculescu, he co-founded the Graphic Group (1939–1947) and served as a professor and director at the Institute of Fine Arts in Iași from 1949 to 1956. Dobrian’s diverse artistic practice included graphics, painting, drawing, collage, installation, and photography. He is renowned as one of the most important engravers of the 20th century. In his graphics and drawings, Dobrian frequently addressed social issues through the lens of humanist ideals. His paintings, however, reflect influences from Constructivism and Cubism, with compositions characterised by bold, colourful geometric shapes that create abstract spaces and sometimes even abstracted letters. Dobrian exhibited widely, both in Romania and internationally, showcasing his work in prestigious institutions such as at the Venice Biennale in 1960 and 1962. Other notable exhibitions include those in Berlin, Florence, Linz, Warsaw, and Tokyo.