Known as the greatest Romanian art collector of his time, King Carol I established in his residence in Sinaia a painting collection which includes 214 original canvases, some of them signed by titans of European painting, such as El Greco, Velasquez, Zurbaran, van Dyck or Rubens. They were acquired through the diplomat and art historian Felix Bamberg, German consul in Paris at the time, and reputed in the world of art aristocrats. In parallel with the acquisition of the original works, King Carol I also commissioned 100 copies after great masters, the phenomenon of copying being a historicist approach specific to the 19th century.
The same passion will also animate Queen Marie, patron of the "Artistic Youth" Society, who will collect and exhibit in the Pelișor castle works by Romanian artists, members of this society, among whom Ștefan Popescu, Kimon Loghi, Ipolit Strâmbu or Arthur Verona.
