Roxana Scripcaru
Head of the Romanian Postmodern & Contemporary Art Evaluation Office
The photos of the lot are informative and indicative, and cannot provide a highly detailed view of the object from all angles. We recommend a careful physical inspection of the lot before bidding.
The photos of the lot are informative and indicative, and cannot provide a highly detailed view of the object from all angles. We recommend a careful physical inspection of the lot before bidding.
51. Reliquary with relics [2020]
1945, Bucureşti
Selling price
Pretul de pornire si cel estimat nu sunt preturi de vanzare efective
EUR 18.090
Session
Thu, 19 February 2026 18:00
Brought to you by
A complete artist, Ion Grigorescu has always shown a major interest in people, which has led him to concern himself with his close world, his art becoming a tool of reflection on life and the historical context, trying to overcome the limits of the generation from which he comes. Ion Grigorescu oscillates from one reality to another, investigating human nature and personal obsessions. His sources of inspiration are taken from the nearby universe, often of socio-political origin or from the sphere of private life. The artist remains lucid and attentive to what is happening in society, without betraying his personal originality. Thus, disturbed by the outside world and also infected by the obsession of his own body, through recognizable sexuality, Ion Grigorescu combines the world of the body with the experience of religious morality. "I paint as I see: taking objects into the eyes, following them is done in the midst of life, not separately," the artist declared about his creative process. Thus, we can observe his affinity for hyperrealism, a silent orientation from the Romanian plastic arts universe. At the same time, Ion Grigorescu has given increased interest to religious themes, affirming his position through ascetic nature. The artist combines the spiritual experiment with social involvement. In this work "Racla cu moaște", we can observe the artist's predilection for the immaterial world of faith. The word racla, etymologically, comes from the Bulgarian language, РАКЛА, and represents a box, often artistically ornamented, in which the earthly remains of the saints are preserved. Therefore, in the Orthodox Christian tradition, the meaning of this racla cu moaște is profound, because it constitutes an object of adoration, a witness to the presence of divine grace. Orthodoxy, as a whole, has a wide relationship with the sacred and the symbols of divinity, a fact that Ion Grigorescu captures in this work, through the act made by the two central characters. A silent scene that embodies sacredness and the relationship of man with divinity through an elect who carries grace.
References
MoMA. "Ion Grigorescu." The Museum of Modern Art. https://www.moma.org/artists/39193-ion-grigore
Dimensions
width 70 cm, height 100 cm
Description
oil on canvas, signed and dated bottom center, in gray, "Ion Grigorescu, 2020"; titled bottom left, in green, "Reliquary"
Research information
The artwork was part of the exhibition: "Prolog - Over the years", Romanian Gallery, Bucharest, 2021.
Dating
2020
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.
For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.
Detalii
A complete artist, Ion Grigorescu has always shown a major interest in people, which has led him to concern himself with his close world, his art becoming a tool of reflection on life and the historical context, trying to overcome the limits of the generation from which he comes. Ion Grigorescu oscillates from one reality to another, investigating human nature and personal obsessions. His sources of inspiration are taken from the nearby universe, often of socio-political origin or from the sphere of private life. The artist remains lucid and attentive to what is happening in society, without betraying his personal originality. Thus, disturbed by the outside world and also infected by the obsession of his own body, through recognizable sexuality, Ion Grigorescu combines the world of the body with the experience of religious morality. "I paint as I see: taking objects into the eyes, following them is done in the midst of life, not separately," the artist declared about his creative process. Thus, we can observe his affinity for hyperrealism, a silent orientation from the Romanian plastic arts universe. At the same time, Ion Grigorescu has given increased interest to religious themes, affirming his position through ascetic nature. The artist combines the spiritual experiment with social involvement. In this work "Racla cu moaște", we can observe the artist's predilection for the immaterial world of faith. The word racla, etymologically, comes from the Bulgarian language, РАКЛА, and represents a box, often artistically ornamented, in which the earthly remains of the saints are preserved. Therefore, in the Orthodox Christian tradition, the meaning of this racla cu moaște is profound, because it constitutes an object of adoration, a witness to the presence of divine grace. Orthodoxy, as a whole, has a wide relationship with the sacred and the symbols of divinity, a fact that Ion Grigorescu captures in this work, through the act made by the two central characters. A silent scene that embodies sacredness and the relationship of man with divinity through an elect who carries grace.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.
For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.
References
MoMA. "Ion Grigorescu." The Museum of Modern Art. https://www.moma.org/artists/39193-ion-grigore
Dimensions
width 70 cm, height 100 cm
Description
oil on canvas, signed and dated bottom center, in gray, "Ion Grigorescu, 2020"; titled bottom left, in green, "Reliquary"
Research information
The artwork was part of the exhibition: "Prolog - Over the years", Romanian Gallery, Bucharest, 2021.
Dating
2020
Brought to you by
Roxana Scripcaru
Head of the Romanian Postmodern & Contemporary Art Evaluation Office
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