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. Janus on Water
1942, Braşov
Estimate
Pretul de pornire si cel estimat nu sunt preturi de vanzare efective
EUR 20.000 - 35.000
Sold
Pretul de pornire si cel estimat nu sunt preturi de vanzare efective
EUR 52.000
Session
Tue, 18 November 2025 17:00
Brought to you by
The vision of the artist Ștefan Câlția about the world arises from multiple cultural ramifications that intermingle and give birth to these specific works that mark the observer with atmosphere and affective tonality. On the one hand, we have the archaic world of Romanian popular fairy tales, of fantastic characters; we have traces of ancient traditional shows, with masks and processions. On the other hand, the viewer notes the impact left by the lifestyle values of the Transylvanian village where the artist was born and raised, and the influenced carried from the years of study under Julius Podlipny. In the current work, the characters have decisive roles: a primordial couple, the first inhabitants of the earth, the male character having angel wings, suggesting the divine origin of man. The characters concentrate the main meanings of the image, like the role of the characters in a fable, enhancing the meaning of the narrative thread. In the work "Ianus on water", two types of characters stand out: on the one hand, human characters, with their hieratic figures like earthly angels, and the animal-fish character. The fish motif is not only one of the most recurrent in the master's creation, but also one of the first symbols of humanity, used in the most diverse combinations. "In Ștefan Câlția's compositions, the symbolism of the fish draws closer to interpretations given to this motif by some modern artists, especially from the realm of German expressionism: Max Beckmann, Paul Klee, Marc Chagall. In their works, the image of the carnival, of the puppet game was paramount, and the fish takes on magic-mystic meanings, a meeting point between life and death" (Amelia Pavel). In this work, there also appears a protective symbol, a prop element: a glass bell protecting the two characters. In the protective atmosphere of the glass, the characters seem to feel safe. From his master Corneliu Baba, the artist inherited the talent of conveying his characters in a silent expressiveness, void of thoughts.
References
PAVEL, Amelia, "Ștefan Câlția", Ed. Meridiane, Bucharest, 1989
Dimensions
width 120 cm, height 120 cm
Description
oil on canvas, signed and dated lower left, in red, in monogram, "Câlția, 2001"
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
The vision of the artist Ștefan Câlția about the world arises from multiple cultural ramifications that intermingle and give birth to these specific works that mark the observer with atmosphere and affective tonality. On the one hand, we have the archaic world of Romanian popular fairy tales, of fantastic characters; we have traces of ancient traditional shows, with masks and processions. On the other hand, the viewer notes the impact left by the lifestyle values of the Transylvanian village where the artist was born and raised, and the influenced carried from the years of study under Julius Podlipny. In the current work, the characters have decisive roles: a primordial couple, the first inhabitants of the earth, the male character having angel wings, suggesting the divine origin of man. The characters concentrate the main meanings of the image, like the role of the characters in a fable, enhancing the meaning of the narrative thread. In the work "Ianus on water", two types of characters stand out: on the one hand, human characters, with their hieratic figures like earthly angels, and the animal-fish character. The fish motif is not only one of the most recurrent in the master's creation, but also one of the first symbols of humanity, used in the most diverse combinations. "In Ștefan Câlția's compositions, the symbolism of the fish draws closer to interpretations given to this motif by some modern artists, especially from the realm of German expressionism: Max Beckmann, Paul Klee, Marc Chagall. In their works, the image of the carnival, of the puppet game was paramount, and the fish takes on magic-mystic meanings, a meeting point between life and death" (Amelia Pavel). In this work, there also appears a protective symbol, a prop element: a glass bell protecting the two characters. In the protective atmosphere of the glass, the characters seem to feel safe. From his master Corneliu Baba, the artist inherited the talent of conveying his characters in a silent expressiveness, void of thoughts.
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
PAVEL, Amelia, "Ștefan Câlția", Ed. Meridiane, Bucharest, 1989
Dimensions
width 120 cm, height 120 cm
Description
oil on canvas, signed and dated lower left, in red, in monogram, "Câlția, 2001"
Brought to you by
Roxana Scripcaru
Head of the Romanian Postmodern & Contemporary Art Evaluation Office
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