Penelope & David,

 

When I pulled my dictionary, the word ‘intellectual’ didn’t reveal much either. But look down a couple of lines.  In my Webster’s Collegiate 11^th Ed.  I find ‘intellectualism’ with the meaning “…devoted to exercise of the intellect or to intellectual pursuits –intellectualist.”  This is closer to explaining the context of your Romanian immigrant artists.

 

I associate the use of the term ‘Intellectual’ in the way your original post seemed to use it, as a class or category of person, usually in 19^th or early 20^th century Europe, who had probably studied at the great Universities, and whose studies were more philosophical than profession oriented. They likely were trained in the classics, - I envision them engaged in political and philosophical discussions in sidewalk cafes, etc. Some were poor, others had independent wealth, but it was still sort of a socio-economic class. They became writers, philosophers, artists, etc.

 

Perhaps our European colleagues on the list can explain this better or correct misimpressions I might have.

 

I recently read an interesting book, The Orientalist, (author is Tom Reiss) about an elusive author called Kurban Said, whose real name was Lev Nussimbaum…. he was the son of a wealthy oil man, born in Baku, Russia (Azerbaijan). He and his father emigrated to central Europe and became impoverished when the Bolsheviks took over the Baku oil fields. He along with other ‘orientalists’ converted to an intellectualized version of Islam.  It is a fascinating picture of the early 20^th century in Europe and the intellectual, political, social climate, overlaid with economic uncertainty and upheaval after WWI, which led to the rise of Hitler. In it I think you will get a sense of the kind of ‘Intellectuals’ your reference refers to.

 

 (As an aside, I was reading it during the height of our new PC Christmas sensitivities and was totally taken by a photo in the book showing a large group of Jewish and Muslim children in Baku, Russia gathered around a large, finely decorated Christmas tree, having a Christmas party in 1913!!)

 

Lucy Sperlin