Alecu Russo

Alecu Russo (17 March 1819 – 5 February 1859) was a Romanian writer, literary critic and publicist.

Russo is credited with having discovered one of the most elaborate forms of the Romanian national folk ballad ''Miorița''. He was also a contributor to the Iași periodical ''Zimbrul'', in which he published one of his best-known works, ''Studie Moldovană'' ("Moldovan Studies"), in 1851–1852.

He also wrote ''Iașii și locuitorii lui în 1840'' ("Iași and its inhabitants in 1840"), a glimpse into Moldavian society during the ''Organic Statute'' administration, and two travel accounts (better described as folklore studies), ''Piatra Teiului'' and ''Stânca Corbului''.

Russo is also notable for his ''Amintiri'' ("Recollections"), a memoir, and for the prose poem . Both these works appeared in 1855 in Vasile Alecsandri's literary magazine, România Literară.

He died shortly before the age of 40. His cause of death is recorded as ''troahnă'', usually denoting influenza, but sometimes a euphemism for tuberculosis. He was buried with great pomp at the Bărboi Church, in Iași. Provided by Wikipedia