Sabin Bălaşa

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Sabin Bălaşa (born June 17, 1932 in Dobriceni, Olt) is a contemporary Romanian painter. His works are described by himself as belonging to cosmic Romanticism.

Among Bălaşa's most notable works are several large-scale fresco paintings, such as those decorating the inside of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi. He is the uncle of the famous virtuoso guitarist Andrei Bǎlaşa.

In 1973 and 1976 the Bucharest Mayor's office ordered and payed him to paint the portraits of Nicolae and Elena Ceauşescu. In the late 1980s, Bălaşa was accused of promoting the cult of the personalities. Apart from the works contracted by the Bucharest City hall, no other proof has been produced. Bălaşa's father and uncle were in fact imprisoned for more than 20 years for opposing the Communist regime^{[citation needed]}.

In June 2005, Bălaşa sued the French paper Le Monde for defamation after said paper reproduced a propaganda painting by another painter, claiming it was one of his [1]. Le Monde subsequently acknowledged the error [2]

[edit] Quotes

"I am talented, not modest" ("Eu sunt talentat, nu modest") [3]
Speaking about a painting of Nicolae Ceauşescu: "What you know is not a portrait of Ceauşescu, it's a Sabin Bălaşa" (Ceea ce ştiţi dv. nu este un portret al lui Ceauşescu, este un Sabin Bălaşa) [4]