The saddest and most unfortunate knight of the world encounters neither people, windmills, nor other chimeras on his path, but the empty, abandoned, and dismantled armor of other knights, who disappeared who-knows-when, a disturbingly sad and strange character.

Ion Băieșu, ”Aspiration of flight”, excerpt from the ”Valentin Tănase” exhibition catalogue at Hanul cu Tei, Bucharest, 1981

Academic and professional background: since 1997, he has been the director of the Fine Arts Studio of the Army, a prestigious institution of the Ministry of National Defense; he has created large-scale paintings, monumental murals, and mosaics depicting historical scenes | 1983 - visual artist at the Fine Arts Studio of the Army | 1981 - becomes a member of the Union of Fine Artists of Romania | 1978 - successfully completes his studies at the "Nicolae Grigorescu" Institute of Fine Arts, Bucharest.

International exhibitions and participations: between 1981 and 2025, he opened 72 solo exhibitions of painting and graphic art, including 2010 Bologna (Italy) | 2009 -  Lille (France) | 2008 - Budapest (Hungary) | 2007 - Valencia (Spain) | 2005 - Beijing (China) | 2005 Bratislava (Slovakia) | 2005 – Angouleme (France) | 2004 - Vienna (Austria) | 2004 - Prague (Czech Republic) | 2004 - Kromeriz (Czech Republic) | 2001 - Paris (France) | 2000 - Rome (Italy) | 1999 and 1997 La Croix Valmer (France) | 1998 - Hurth – Cologne (Germany) | 1998 - Veria (Greece) | 1998 and 1996 Brussels (Belgium).

Awards and medals: 2019 – awarded the “Star of Romania” National Order in the rank of “Commander” | 2015 – awarded the “Order of Cultural Merit, rank of Knight” | 2014 – awarded the “King Michael” Medal for Loyalty | 2010 – decorated with the “Honor of the Romanian Army” medal | 2009 – winner of the IBBY International Award for children's book illustration | 2005 – winner of the title “Knight of Universal Culture” awarded by the European Foundation for Culture, based in Budapest | 2003 – winner of the National Prize for Book Illustration | 2000 – awarded the “Star of Romania” National Order, rank of Officer.