107. Biblis Turned into a Spring [1890-1900]

Although Artachino's painting is generically integrated into the so-called interwar modern art, which is, of course, representative of the most of the artist's work, the times around 1900 worth being reminded for a better understanding of his entire biography that defined him. Given that he lived for more than 80 years, the defining stages for shaping the Romanian modern art can be seen in Artachino's career. Until the formation of the Artistic Youth, the painter was influenced by contemporary trends, progressively and depending on the context. Certainly, the first style is the academic one, given that his first teachers were Theodor Aman and G.D. Mirea. He improved his skills in Paris where he beneficiated from a 2 years scholarship and studied at the Julian Academy, under the guidance of Alexandre Cabanel. It is the moment when Artachino conscientiously acquired specific elements of a profound symbolism, to which he shall be attracted by the expressive qualities of the entire pictorial language. The transition from pure academism to symbolism was made, in the case of Artachino, through a process in which he did not eliminate the components of the first style, but accumulated and changed to meet the requirements of the latter. As such, Artachino is the author of representative paintings of the Romanian symbolism, including this artwork. We notice that our painter approached the composition in a relatively atypical way, especially through the apparent detachment, even neutrality towards the model, being especially focused on an objective rendering of the subject as accurately as possible. The artist's detachment also pours forth to the viewer, who is not emotionally involved in the entire pictorial complex. In the case of this artwork, the source of inspiration is Greek mythology, a theme often encountered at that time. The myth is centred around the love between her, Biblis, and her twin brother, Caunus, who runs away as far as possible so as not to be confronted by his sister. Biblis, in an attempt to convince him of the love they share, looks for him throughout Greece and Asia Minor, to the end, when, exhausted, she died and turned into a spring. The main character painting represents a synthesis based on a well-defined canon at the time, the story being limited to the image of a female nude, in a humble posture, of a being defeated by her own destiny. (I.P.)

References

DREPTU, Ruxandra, “Constantin Artachino”, în catalogul expoziției “Artachino C.”, Muzeul Național de Artă al României, București, 2004

Dimensions

width 144 cm, height 96 cm, custom 96 × 144 cm

Description

oil on canvas, signed bottom right, with black, "C. Artachino"

Research information

In 1894, following the participation in the exhibition at the Athenaeum Salon, the Ministry of Cults and Public Instruction bought a variant of the painting "Biblis preschimbată în izvor" ("Byblis Turned into Spring") for the amount of lei 1,200. In the same procurement campaign, the Ministry purchased a landscape by Ștefan Luchian for the amount of lei 500.

Dating

1890-1900

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