Born in Botoșani, he remained an orphan at age 4, and was raised in Iași by his much older sister and her husband, who first encouraged Octav's talent and passion for art.

[2] Upon his return, he attempted to open a studio in downtown Iași, but financial constraints forced him to settle on the outskirts; it was during that time that Băncilă began exploring his major themes: the lives of peasants, factory workers, impoverished Jewish traders and artisans, conscripted soldiers, and of nomadic Roma people.

[4] Impressed by the outcome of the 1905 Revolution in the Russian Empire, he was soon active in socialist circles, and became an acquaintance of major intellectual figures on the Left, including Gala Galaction and Paul Bujor.

[5] In 1907, following the crushing of the Romanian peasants' revolt, Băncilă began traveling the country and attempting to gather evidence of government repression and violence.

[9] He remained critical of social and political developments inside Greater Romania, was supportive of strike actions in the Jiu Valley, and used his art to attack anti-Semitic trends in Romanian society.