Ștefan Luchian (1868- 1917), known as the painter of flowers, was the student of Nicolae Grigorescu. Like his master and his younger colleague Nicolae Tonitza, Luchian studied both in Paris and in Munich.

While in Paris, studying at the Juliard Academy, Tonitza was influenced by the impressionism movement, which was in full swing in the 1890s. In 1900, at the age of 32, he noticed the first signs of the multiple sclerosis, which would eventually leave him handicapped for his entire life. Even so, he managed to paint but failed to achieve much success during his lifetime. From 1909 until he died in 1916, he was stuck in an armchair. However Luchian continued to work, despite having difficulties holding the brush. Towards the end of his life, unable to hold the brush with his paralyzed fingers, he even requested it be tied to his wrist.

His self portrait, called A painter (Un zugrav), from 1907, is among the most iconic self portraits of a Romanian painter, and manages to depict the hardships of continuing to paint despite his illness. Among his most famous paintings are Annemonas (Anemone), numerous flower paintings, as well as portraits, Safta the flower girl (Safta florăreasa) and Moș Nicolae Cobzarul.