Academician EMIL-RĂZVAN THEODORESCU
– 22 May 1939, Bucharest – 06 February 2023, Bucharest –
– Founding full member of the Academy of Romanian Scientists –
The Academy of Romanian Scientists expresses its sorrow and deep regret at the departure of Academician Prof. Dr. Răzvan Theodorescu, an illustrious personality of contemporary Romanian culture.
Academician Răzvan Theodorescu was Vice-President of the Romanian Academy and President of the Arts, Architecture and Audiovisual Section of the Academy, Secretary General of the International Association of South-East European Studies, Professor at the National University of Arts.
Academician Răzvan Theodorescu was also, founding full member of the Section of Historical and Archaeological Sciences of the Academy of Romanian Scientists. In this capacity he was involved in the development of the AOSR, an institution which, after the fall of communism, resumed its institutional existence on new, democratic bases, after the long totalitarian parenthesis, renewing the thread of history that began in 1935 with the establishment of Academy of Sciences of Romania by a group of Romanian scientists led by doctor and education minister Constantin Angelescu. With the genuine sense of value and humanism that characterized him, Academician Răzvan Theodorescu knew how to harmonize the two qualities, academician and member of the Academy of Romanian Scientists, supporting and encouraging the evolution of the AOSR, an institution that has included and includes valuable names of Romanian science, as well as seven Nobel Prize laureates.
Born on 22 May 1939, Răzvan Theodorescu graduated from the Faculty of History of the University of Bucharest (1963) and received his PhD in Historical Sciences from the University of Bucharest (1972) with a thesis on Byzantine, Balkan and Western elements in the beginnings of medieval Romanian culture (10th-14th centuries). He has carried out a rich professional activity, branching out on several levels: scientific, teaching, cultural, academic, civic and political. Among the most important qualities he had in its contents are: scientific researcher at the Institute of Art History of the Romanian Academy (1963-1987); deputy scientific director of the Institute of Art History (1972-1977); professor at the University of Arts in Bucharest (since 1990); general director of the Romanian Television Company (1990-1992); member of the National Audiovisual Council (1992-2000); rector of the Academy for the Study of the History of Culture and Religions (1995-2000); Head of the UNESCO Chair of South-East European Studies at the University of Arts (since 1997); member of the National College of the Institute of the Romanian Revolution of December 1989 (since 2004); Secretary-General of the Association of South-East European Studies (1994-2000); Rector of the Media University (since 2000); Senator of Iasi (2000-2004); Senator of Botosani (2004-2008); Minister of Culture and Religious Affairs (2000-2004).
He is the author of a prodigious scientific and cultural work, among the titles of which are Dragomirna Monastery, Ed. Meridiane, 1965; Bistrita Monastery, Ed. Meridiane, 1966; Stavropoleos Church, Ed. Meridiane, 1967; Byzantium, the Balkans and the West at the beginning of Romanian medieval culture (10th-14th centuries), Ed. Academiei Române, 1974; Un mileniu de arte la gurile Dunării (400-1400), Ed. Meridiane, Bucharest, 1976; Itinerarii medievale, Ed. Meridiane, Bucharest, 1979; Piatra Trei Ierarhilor, Ed. Meridiane, Bucharest, 1979; Apel la istorie, Ed. Sport-Turism, București, 1980; Civilizația românilor entre medieval e modern. The Horizon of the Image (1550-1800), 2 vols. Meridiane, București, 1992; Drumuri spre ieri, Ed. Fundației Culturale Române, Bucharest, 1992; Cele 900 de zile ale “manipulării”, Ed. Tinerama, Bucharest, 1994; La peinture murale moldave des XVe – XVIe siècles, Ed. UNESCO, București, 1995; Roumains et Balkaniques dans la civilisation sud-est européenne, Ed. Enciclopedică, București, 1999; Picătura de istorie, Ed. Fundației Culturale Române, București, 1999; Constantin Brâncoveanu între “Casa Cărții” și “Levropa”, Ed., RAO, București, 2006; Civilizația românilor entre medieval e modern, Ed. Princeps Edit, Iași, 2006; Europa noastră și noi, Ed. Capitel, Bucharest, 2008. To the above volumes, reference titles in the study of Romanian history, culture and civilization, we must add more than 600 studies and articles published in Romanian and foreign specialized journals.
In recognition of His Lordship’s great value and merit, Acad. Răzvan Theodorescu has received an impressive number of important awards, orders and distinctions: Knight (since 1997) and Commander (since 2003) of the Order of Arts and Letters of the French Republic; Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit (2000); Laureate of the Bernier Prize of the Institut de France (1969); Nicolae Bălcescu Prize of the Romanian Academy (1976); Herder Prize of the University of Vienna (1993); Nicolae Iorga Prize of the International Ecumenical Centre for Spiritual Dialogue (1999); Flacăra Magazine Prize (1987); Order of the Moldavian Cross (2003); Knight of the Knight’s Cross with Swords – Ukraine (2004); Order of the Cross of St. John the Baptist (2004). Apostle Andrew (2004); Knight of the Order of the Cross Bearers of the Holy Sepulchre – Jerusalem (2004); Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Oradea (1998), of the University of Arts of Cluj-Napoca (2001), of the University of West Timisoara (2002), of the University of Craiova (2002), of the University of Stefan cel Mare in Suceava (2004), of the Ovidius University of Constanta (2006), of the George Enescu University of Iasi (2008), of the Valahia University of Targoviste (2010).
He has been a member of prestigious Academies and Scientific Societies: Corresponding member (since 1993) and full member (since 2000) of the Romanian Academy; honorary member (since 1996) and full member (since 2000) of the Academy of Romanian Scientists; corresponding member of the Archaeological Society of Athens (since 1990); honorary member of the Romanian Academic Society (since 1997); Member of the New York Academy of Sciences (since 1998); Corresponding Member (since 1998) and Full Member (since 2002) of the European Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters; Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Albania (since 2006); Member of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (since 2006).
Academician Răzvan Theodorescu was a humanist scholar of European stature, a Renaissance scholar with a broad scientific and cultural background and a deep understanding of the meaning of history, culture and civilization. At the same time, the illustrious Academician and Professor was a Great Romanian Patriot.
With the departure of acad. Răzvan Theodorescu, Academy of Romanian Scientists, Romanian education, culture, science and culture lose a great personality, a prestigious promoter of Romanian values and identity in the country and in the world.
Deeply saddened, the community of the Academy of Romanian Scientists sends its condolences to the bereaved family!
May God rest him and place him among the Righteous!