The “Genio Helvetico. Historic Swiss watches and music boxes from the collections of Romanian museums” exhibition will be hosted by Bucharest’s National History Museum on June 20 – August 31, Mediafax informs. Being part of the events occasioned by the centennial of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Romania and the Swiss Confederation, the exhibition seeks to offer the general public and specialists alike the possibility of familiarizing themselves with a domain that is entirely special within Romania’s and Switzerland’s common cultural patrimony – that of Swiss watches and music boxes that are part of the collections of Romanian museums. The exhibition, a first for Romania, is also important for the fact that it represents a selection that brings together the largest and most valuable part of the Swiss watches and music boxes that currently exist in Romanian collections. Used and admired for the qualities of their ingenious design and construction mechanism, music boxes nostalgically reflect the life styles, decorative art and music specific to memorable historic eras. Visitors will have the opportunity of admiring watches that belonged to Romanian historical personalities – King Carol I, Queen Mary, Metropolitan Bishop Veniamin Costachi, Nicolae Titulescu, Armand Calinescu, Gheorghe I. Bratianu, Nicolae Iorga, Marshal Alexandru Averescu, Marshal Ion Antonescu, Major Dimitrie Giurescu (hero of the War of Independence), Aurel Vlaicu, Mariana Dragescu (a woman pilot that was part of the White Squadron during the Second World War), George Calinescu, Tudor Arghezi, Panait Istrati, Gala Galaction and others – as well as “anonymous” pieces that are spectacular through the décor. The opening will take place today, at noon. The Swiss Confederation’s embassy played an important role in this exhibition, Swiss Ambassador Jean-Hubert Lebet becoming a supporter of the project after his arrival in Bucharest in the autumn of 2011.
