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M O N D A Y

In recent newspaper headlines, Romania is a land of tragedy; in recent Romanian films, it’s a land of blackest comedy. There’s also inspirational beauty, however, as art critic Marianna Carpinisan reveals in her slide-illustrated lecture, “The Painted Monasteries of Romania.” Concentrating on the 15th- and 16th-century monasteries at Voronet, Humor, Sucevita, Arborf, and Moldovita, Carpinisan will explain how the structures’ elaborate frescoes meld Byzantine, Gothic, and folk influences, and how they reflect the influence of their patron, Stephen the Great. At 6 p.m. at the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden’s Ring Auditorium, 8th & Independence Ave. SW. $13. For reservations call (202) 357-3030. (MJ)