Eustatin Grigorie Stoenesco was a Romanian portraitist who was known for his dark scenes, landscapes, and still life paintings. He created portraits of high officials and heads of state and was recognized as the artist of the elites wherever he lived, including France, Switzerland, and the USA. He was one of the few artists who cultivated the poetics of the black, making it the universal background for almost all his works. He gradually detached himself from any influence and built a strongly individualized style. He participated in several exhibitions, including the Official Salon in Paris, Artistic Youth, and the Jubilee Exhibition, where he received a gold medal. He was appointed professor of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bucha...