Alexis Macedonski (first name also rendered as Alexe, last name also Macedonsky or Macedonschi; 1884 or 1885–1971) was a Romanian visual artist, theatrical producer, and political activist, the eldest surviving son of poet-novelist Alexandru Macedonski. The latter enforced his calling for the arts from childhood, with a fragmentary education that was fulfilled in 1909—when Alexis completed the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. Infused by Symbolism and Impressionism, his early contribution covered religious art, genre paintings, and portraiture, including depictions of Macedonski-father. Both men lived together in France during the early 1910s; this is also where Alexis' half-Argentine son, Soare Macedonski, was born. The family returned to the Kingdom of Romania in 1913, assisting Alexandru in establishing his influence over the local Symbolist movement. Alexis and his wife Solaro helped decorate the poet's salon in the Bucharest neighborhood of Dorobanți, using a performative lavishness that was meant to clash with their material destitution. The father–son collaboration, which also saw them founding a larger "Idealists' Circle" of artists, was only interrupted during the second half of World War I: while Macedonski Sr preferred to remain in occupied territory and give a measure of support to the Central Powers, Alexis continued to fight alongside the Romanian Land Forces in besieged Western Moldavia, and was recognized by the loyalist authorities as an official war artist.
Upon his second return to Bucharest in late 1918, Alexis stood by his disgraced father. When the latter died in 1920, the painter moved back to Italy, then to France, together with his wife and son. Both he and Soare received recognition for their work; this period was ended abruptly when both Soare and Solaro died. Involved in a legal conflict with his mother, Alexis quit Romania for good, and established a new Macedonski branch upon marrying his French student, Simonne Friant. They lived with their two daughters at Pollença, on the island of Mallorca, until being chased out by the Spanish Civil War. At that stage of his life, Alexis became a supporter of the Nationalist faction, an admirer of Italian fascism, and an affiliate of the Crusade of Romanianism. He returned to Mallorca after it had been secured by Francoist Spain, living there throughout World War II, and down to 1959. Although his second daughter Florita became successful early on, as both a painter and poet, the Macedonskis were destitute, and eventually had to move to the mainland. Alexis was cut off from Romania, which was taken over by a communist regime, though he maintained friendly contacts with some in the anti-communist Romanian diaspora, including the poet-diplomat Aron Cotruș. The artist died in Tarragona in 1971.
Early life and first departure The painter was born into a clan of Balkan origin. Their exact ethnic background is disputed, with most theories converging on their identification as Serbs; conflicting hypotheses (described by literary historian Adrian Marino as fringe) see them as Bulgarian or Aromanian.Marino, p. 7. See also Simion, p. 9 Though spuriously claiming descent from Polish nobility, their first attested patriarch was the early-19th-century insurgent Dimitrie Macedonski, who had settled in Wallachia upon crossing the Danube.Simion, p. 9. See also Marino, passim Alexis once presented himself as entitled to the Biberstein coat of arms."Ceĭ doĭ Macedonskĭ", in Adevărul, 3 September 1906, p. 2 He later accepted his southern lineage, placing his ultimate origins in Macedonia, but also claimed that the family had branches in much of Europe.Iulian Cătălui, "Lecturi. Mircea Popescu — un cărturar, un ziarist, o conștiință", in Contemporanul, Vol. XXV, Issue 8, August 2014, p. 12 Alexis' paternal grandfather, also named Alexandru, was a general in the military forces of the United Principalities; his wife, Maria Fisența, had been adopted into Wallachian boyardom, and owned estates in Oltenia.Simion, pp. 9, 17
Alexis was the eldest of five surviving children from Alexandru Jr's marriage to Ana Rallet Slătineanu, who was from an "extremely wealthy" familySperantia, p. 63 (the poet's oldest son, George, had died in infancy).Buzași, p. 283 Through Ana, the painter was the nephew of jurists George and Manolache Slătineanu.Simion, pp. 10, 20 He himself believed that, on this Wallachian side, he descended from the ancient House of Basarab, and, "through women", from the Cantemirești.Albu, pp. 205–206 Affectionately nicknamed "Puiu" ("the Cub"),Munteanu, p. 11 Alexis was born in Bucharest in 1884Alagón Laste, p. 432 or 1885.Mircea Moisa, "Macedonski. Familii cultural-creatoare", in Cuvîntul Libertății, 22 December 1996, p. 3Buzași, p. 283; Iacob, p. 81 This was some three years ahead of his brother Nikita (1888–1933). Disgraced nationally for diatribes against the ailing Mihai Eminescu, Macedonski Sr had resettled in France during the early 1880s, but had returned to Bucharest in January 1885. Upon announcing Alexis' birth in his Literatorul journal, Alexandru also placed a wager that his first-born would grow up into a "famous painter".Sperantia, p. 64 Both boys received training in visual arts, though Nikita was primarily known for inventing and trying to market a synthetic version of nacre.Sperantia, pp. 63–68 A much younger brother, Pavel (1893–1946), was an actor; he also tried his hand at writing poetry and novels, but received bad reviews for such work. Their sister, Ana "Nina" (1897–1958), was not involved in literary life other than as the wife of poet Mihail Celarianu (having previously been the fiancee of another author, Oreste Georgescu).Alexandru Bilciurescu, "Amintiri indiscrete. Alexandru Macedonski și familia lui", in Ramuri, Issuue 1/1983, p. 8 Finally, the youngest Macedonski son, Constantin-Hyacint or "Dinu" (1898–1956), also trained and worked as an actor.
As once noted by Alexandru Macedonski's friend Eugeniu Sperantia, Alexis both resembled and imitated his father, but "without knowing how to cover up in that same tact the measure of his pride", and without achieving in art what his father had accomplished in poetry.Sperantia, pp. 63–64 He is believed to have been enlisted by Alexandru at the Bucharest School of Fine Arts, but without bothering to attend classes. In March 1903, he joined his father's initiative committee, which gathered funds for a bust of the deceased Symbolist Iuliu Cezar Săvescu."Ediția de dimineață. Informațiunĭ", in Adevărul, 18 March 1903, p. 2 The young man probably spent the years 1904–1907 in Paris. Art historian Vasile Georgescu Paleolog reports that he was enlisted at, or merely attending, the Beaux-Arts de Paris, in the company of other Romanians—including Constantin Brâncuși, Theodor Pallady, Eustațiu Stoenescu, Camil Ressu, and Constantin Ganesco.Vasile Georgescu Paleolog, "Brâncuși. Paris: 1904–1907", in Înainte, 6 December 1964, p. 3 In 1905, he had moved to Italy: he was lodging in Florence, accompanied for a while by his father and by the musicologist Jules Combarieu.Iacob, p. 85 He then also befriended the Swiss artist Alexandre Cingria, who was in correspondence with Macedonski Sr.Geo Șerban, "Restituiri. Din episod în episod, cu Gonzague de Reynold", in România Literară, Issue 29/1994, p. 19 To 1909, he also attended the Accademia di Belle Arti.Iacob, p. 81. See also Mitchievici, p. 358 A chronicle in La Patria newspaper reserved praise for his religious art (including a "grandiose and deeply saddening" Crucifixion of Christ) and his genre painting (such as his depiction of Florentine prostitutes).
A disciple of Alexandru Macedonski, the poet Donar Munteanu, believes that the son and father were together on the extended trip to Italy: after having two of his paintings purchased by Anastase Simu, Alexis had also received a scholarship from the Romanian Ministry of Education; he then "grew accustomed" to the Italian life.Munteanu, p. 13 During this interval, he provided the cover illustration his father's Symbolist erotic novel, Thalassa, on its French edition of 1906. This drawing impressed one of Thalassas French reviewers, Jules Bois, since "Alexis Macedonski has shed light [...] on Alexandru Macedonski's fickle, dusky pages."Jules Bois, "La Vie Littéraire. Les Romans hyperboliques", in Gil Blas, 17 September 1906, p. 1. See also "Critica franceză și Al. Macedonski", in Adevărul, 19 September 1906, p. 1 Sperantia suggests that, while not great, the illustration also attested to Alexis' skill and imagination; writer and jurist Alexandru Bilciurescu, who was acquainted with Macedonski Sr, sees it as fitting for the narrative. At around that time, Alexis was romantically pursuing the female artist Lucia Dem. Bălăcescu, who did not reciprocate his affection. She left scathing (and, as noted by Bilciurescu, rather unfair) memoirs of their encounters, questioning Alexis' competence as a painter.
In 1910–1912, the young artist was again living in Paris. He rented a small studio at Rue Bonaparte No 19, where he also played host to his aging father.Lidia Bote, "Note de călătorie. Imagini și impresii pariziene", in Făclia, 19 May 1968, p. 4. See also Simion, pp. 10, 23 He had married in Florence the Argentine Francesca Puglia,Buzași, pp. 283–284 known professionally as "Solaro". Their son was born in Paris,Iacob, pp. 81–82 and given the "extravagant name" of Soare (Romanian for "Sun"), which seemingly agreed with his mother's Spanish pseudonym.Buzași, p. 284 A guest at the Salon d'Automne, Alexis collected praise from various prestigious critics, including Paul Fort and Jean Richepin."El pintor rumano Macedonski narra su estancia en Mallorca", in Correo de Mallorca, 5 November 1936, p. 4 In early 1911, the Société des Artistes Indépendants exhibited his Bible-themed canvass, "Paradise Lost", which was 3 meters tall and 3.6 meters wide, earning praise for his "extraordinary technique" from the French esotericist Joséphin Péladan."Știrĭ artistice", in Adevărul, 14 April 1906, p. 2 The exhibit also included three other of his works, including an apotheosis of his father. Its meaning was first revealed for the public by the Decadent poet Dumitru Karnabatt, in an article for Seara (which reserved high praise for Alexis' skill).Mitchievici, pp. 358–359 His more conventional oil portrait of Macedonski Sr was reproduced on the cover of a 1912 poetry collection, Flori sacre. Sperantia notes that, while "idealized", the work had a "perfect resemblance" with the model.
Romanian career