Numirea lui G. Oprescu la Secretariatul Ligii Națiunilor: un episod biografic – Ioana Apostol

As an important Romanian art historian and critic, G. Oprescu (1881–1969) is primarily recognized for his scholarly contributions and his role as founder and director of the Art History Institute in Bucharest. Despite a career that extended over more than six decades, the earlier and middle phases of his professional life remain relatively obscure and have received scant attention in biographical research. Particularly noteworthy is his seven-year tenure at the International Committee of Intellectual Cooperation at the League of Nations, an aspect that, while acknowledged for its importance to Romania and prestige for Oprescu, has not garnered substantial interest from scholars. Given the depth and complexity of Oprescu’s Geneva residency, a comprehensive monograph would be warranted, but this article will offer a focused exploration of the appointment process and its broader implications.

I aim to shed light on the process of Oprescu’s appointment as a member of the I The International Bureaux and Intellectual Cooperation Section in 1923, by drawing upon secondary literature tackling the nuanced challenges of internationalism within the Permanent Secretariat of the League of Nations and using primary sources, including Oprescu’s autobiographical writings and documents from the League of Nations Archive. The article places particular emphasis on the professional standards enforced by the heads of the Secretariat for the international diplomatic functionaries comprising the institution. Additionally, it delves into the significant issue of underrepresentation of Romanians within this body, which ultimately served as the gateway to Oprescu’s appointment, along with his Romanian social network, which propelled him to the Geneva post.

Keywords: International Committee of Intellectual Cooperation, G. Oprescu, Eric Drummond, Inazō Nitobe, internationalism, Romania.