The exhibition entitled “Taste, sophistication and sociability in Bucharest of the first half of the 20th century” can be visited between August 28 and November 10, 2024.
The exhibition dedicated to taste, sophistication and sociability in the Bucharest of the first half of the 20th century aims to reconstruct a fragment of everyday life, that of the ritual of serving the meal, consumed by the Bucharest elite under the sign of profound cultural transformations, between the strict pre-war etiquette and the more relaxed cultivated social attitudes in the interwar period.
The exhibition route is organized in concentric circles and following the dynamics of exterior-interior environment (pre-war), interior-exterior environment (inter-war). In the attic of the Filipescu-Cesianu House, you will discover objects from the heritage of the Bucharest Municipal Museum that composed the decor of festive tables, but also of family meals in the first half of the 20th century and that compliment the panoplies dedicated to decorative arts in the Museum of the Ages.
In the showcases of the exhibition dedicated to taste, sophistication and sociability in Bucharest in the first half of the 20th century, you can admire pieces of decorative art, representing designers, designers and famous European factories, in different stylistic stages of their creation, outlining the path from eclecticism to Art Deco , publications and accessories that belonged to the elite of Bucharest society, whose lifestyle involved attending elegant and prestigious balls, essential opportunities for consolidating social status, establishing and strengthening interpersonal relationships, as well as for concluding political or matrimonial alliances.
The curatorial discourse continues in the same way, in the form of explanatory panels and a selection of vintage photographs dedicated to the “social gourmet” cultivated by the citizens of Bucharest in the first half of the 20th century. The photos represent the atmosphere of some famous places in the era, such as the Oteteleșeanu terrace, the Hanului Manuc restaurant, the Cișmigiu garden restaurant, the Imperial Hotel restaurant, the Cercului Militar terrace or Cafe de Paris. These are complemented by photographs illustrating the intimate atmosphere of family meals, as well as moments of relaxation during picnics in the woods near the city. The photographs on display present visitors with a world of pomp and elegance, as well as the joy of being together around the table, as an expression of the sociability of Bucharest’s high society. For a synesthetic experience, the sound background will reproduce fragments of the musical repertoire of the period and sounds specific to the social situations captured in the photographs on the simes.
The exhibition “Taste, refinement and sociability in Bucharest of the first half of the 20th century” also integrates the museum education component. During the two thematic workshops, held in the gazebo of the Filipescu-Cesianu House park, children and young people (10-18 years old) will discover the historical styles of serving the table (e.g. à la russe, à la française) typologies of table services, as well as the rules that accompanied each moment of serving the meal, depending on the scale or character of the event. Role play scenarios will also be used to convey appropriate behavior or knowledge about table seating, host and guest duties.
In 1900, when the story of the exhibition begins, Western-style gastronomic refinement, as well as the sociability models specific to this culinary spectacle, were assimilated by the local elite, and not only that, evolving towards local formulas and aspirations. Bucharest had a wide range of restaurants (119 in 1900), among which Casa Capșa was an indisputable emblem, breweries (e.g. Jubilee), some with a restaurant (e.g. Caru’ cu bere), luxurious cafes open until late at night (e.g. Kübler), confectioneries (eg Riegler) that offered desserts made according to French recipes and countless terraces and gardens.
The top restaurants served both dishes specific to international cuisine and traditional Romanian food, highly appreciated by foreigners. Depending on the material means at their disposal, taste and education, some Bucharesters preferred, at least from time to time, refined French cuisine, or in combination with traditional dishes.
The taste, sophistication and sociability of the first half of the 20th century not only reflected the major changes of the time, but also influenced the direction of the cultural and social evolution of the era, leaving a lasting imprint on how these concepts are perceived and appreciated today.
Curators: Alexandra Rusu, Andreea Mâniceanu, Lorena Caldeș, Casa Filipescu – Cesianu, Urban Anthropology section, Bucharest City Museum
Source: www.cotidianul.ro
