Sămănătorul or Semănătorul was a literary and political magazine published in Romania between 1901 and 1910. Founded by poets Alexandru Vlahuță and George Coșbuc, it is primarily remembered as a tribune for early 20th century traditionalism, neoromanticism and ethnic nationalism. The magazine's ideology, commonly known as Sămănătorism or Semănătorism, was articulated after 1905, when historian and literary theorist Nicolae Iorga became editor in chief. While its populism, critique of capitalism and emphasis on peasant society separated it from other conservative groups, Sămănătorul shared views with its main conservative predecessor, the Junimea society, particularly in expressing reserve toward Westernization. In parallel, its right-wing agenda made it stand in contrast to the Poporanists, a Romanian populist faction whose socialist-inspired ideology also opposed rapid urbanization, but there was a significant overlap in membership between the two groups. Sămănătorul's relationship with the dominant National Liberal Party was equally ambiguous, ranging from an alliance between Sămănătorul and National Liberal politician Spiru Haret to Iorga's explicit condemnation of 20th century Romanian liberalism.
Sămănătorul issue, cover dated October 6, 1907
Ludovic Bassarab's La treierat ("Threshing"), showing peasants in Romanian dress around a combine harvester
Front page of Sămănătorul under Aurel Popovici's direction, December 1909 issue
A peasant household near Bistriţa Monastery, ca. 1906
Nicolae Iorga was a Romanian politician who held top posts, including Prime Minister and president of the Senate. He was also a historian, literary critic, memoirist, albanologist, poet and playwright. Co-founder of the Democratic Nationalist Party (PND), he served as a member of Parliament, President of the Deputies' Assembly, and cabinet minister. A child prodigy, polymath and polyglot, Iorga produced an unusually large body of scholarly works, establishing his international reputation as a medievalist, Byzantinist, Latinist, Slavist, art historian and philosopher of history. Holding teaching positions at the University of Bucharest, the University of Paris and several other academic institutions, Iorga was founder of the International Congress of Byzantine Studies and the Institute of South-East European Studies (ISSEE). His activity also included the transformation of Vălenii de Munte town into a cultural and academic center.
Memorial house in Botoșani
Cover of Sămănătorul, March 1905. The table of contents credits Iorga as an editorialist and political columnist
Istoria bisericii românești, original edition
Cover of Drum Drept, issue no. 48–52, dated 31 December 1915