At the time, he had begun enjoying considerable success – a phenomenon which the writer Tudor Arghezi attributed to the momentary rise of Take Ionescu as a politician (Ionescu had become the center of a fashion and subject of imitation, and he was among the first to buy more than one of Luchian's paintings).Arghezi, Din zilele lui Luchian, in Scrieri, pp. 617–618 As his disease became notorious, a rumor spread that Luchian allowed someone else to paint in his name; the scandal brought about Luchian's arrest under charges of fraud (he was released soon after).Arghezi, Din zilele lui Luchian, in Scrieri, pp. 617, 620–621 Arghezi took pride in being one of his few defenders.
