Nicolae Filimon (Romanian pronunciation:[nikoˈla.efiliˈmon]; 6 September 1819 – 19 March 1865) was aWallachian Romanian novelist and short-story writer, remembered as the author of the firstRealist novel inRomanian literature,Ciocoii vechi şi noi ("The Old and the New Parvenus"), which was centered on the self-seeking figure Dinu Păturică (who drew comparisons withStendhal'sJulien Sorel). He was also a noted travel writer,folklorist, musician, and the first musical critic in his country.
Born inBucharest as the son of anEastern Orthodoxparish priest of the Enei Church, Filimon was acantor and anautodidact. According toIon Ghica'sLetters, he was briefly employed by theater companies after his father's death in 1830, singing in a theater choir and playing theflute.
In 1852, he was chosen administrator of theEnei Church, remaining in office until his death. The same year, he became a minor public official at the Faith Department inPrinceBarbu Dimitrie Ştirbei's Chancellery.
In late 1857, Filimon made his literary debut with pieces written for theNaţionalul newspaper. During the following year, he travelled to theGerman Confederation, and published his account asExcursiuni în Germania meridională ("Voyages to Southern Germany"), which also included theRomanticistnovellasMănăstirea domenicanilor după colina Fiesole (later known asMateo Cipriani) andO baroneasă de poronceală. His experience and relative success as a journalist and critic would serve as the basis of chapters in his novels, which actually form in-depth analyses of cultural trends; he would collaborate on journals edited byCezar Bolliac andIon Ionescu de la Brad.
During the period, he also publishedNenorocirile unui slujnicar sau gentilomii de mahala ("The Misfortunes of a Servant or The Gentlemen on the Outskirts"; 1861), a rather typical depiction of servants and their lives, as well as his first collectedfairy tales -Omul de flori cu barba de mătasă sau povestea lui Făt-Frumos ("The Flower Man with Silky Beard or The Tale ofFăt-Frumos") andOmul de piatră ("The Man of Stone").
Ciocoii vechi şi noi, a novel aboutJohn Caradja, was written in 1862, and published as a volume in 1863. It became an instant success, but Filimon could not enjoy it for long after: although he continued to write for various journals, he was stricken down withtuberculosis, and died soon after.
