Abstract
Painter Viorica Balan was born in Iași in 1918, as daughter of physician Nicolae Balan. In 1947, she graduated the Academy of Fine Arts in Iași, Section Painting (with the mention “Cum Laudae”). The artist continued her studies, graduating the Faculty of Letters – Section Philology and History, obtaining in 1943 the license diploma in French and Italian and in 1948 the license diploma in Archeology. In the context of the new political regime, installed after 1947, Viorica Balan had to take temporary jobs at the various institutions where she practiced drawing (Institute of Biology, Ethnographic Museum of Moldavia). In 1963 she became a teacher within the painting chair of the Popular Art School of Iași, where she continued teaching until retirement (1976).
Viorica Balan created a very decorative painting, which shows her draughtswoman and colorist talent. She was a remarkable representative of the feminine painting of the Romanian contemporary art. In 1985, Viorica Balan donated to the art museums of Iași and Botoșani representative works of her creation, thus assuring a presence for posterity in the public collections.