26. From the Spring (Lucretia in Folk Attire) [1929]

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26. From the Spring (Lucretia in Folk Attire) [1929]

Gheorghe Petraşcu

1872, Tecuci, Galați - 1949, Bucureşti

Estimate:

EUR 15.000 - 25.000

Sold

EUR 15.000

References

FLOREA, Vasile, “Gheorghe Petrașcu”, Meridiane Publishing House, Bucharest, 1990 ZAMBACCIAN, K. H., “Pages of Art”, Casa Şcoalelor Publishing House, Bucharest, 194 COSTESCU, Eleonora, ”Gheorghe Petrașcu”, Meridiane Publishing House, Bucharest, 1975

oil on cardboard, 36 x 25.5 cm, signed and dated bottom right, in black, "G. Petrașcu, (1)929"

For Gheorghe Petrașcu, portraits boil down to capturing family members, relatives, and a few friends. For instance, the portraits of his daughter occupy a unique place. A notable work is the portrait of Mariana in a blue dress, sitting with a black cat in her arms: "Mariana in Blue". However, his favorite model from painting sessions, Lucreția C. Marinescu, became his wife. Her presence in his work is constant and varied in aspects. She appears sometimes at the seashore, sometimes in the quiet interiors of his studio, sometimes in the gentle light of a provincial courtyard. Among known works we mention "Lucreția studying engravings" and "Nude with a Fan (Lucreția)", alongside "Coana Lucreția", "Lucreția in traditional costume" and several indoor or outdoor portraits. Thematically, between 1920 and 1930, when the current work is also created, Gheorghe Petrașcu travels and paints in Italy - Venice, Chioggia, Florence - and in Spain, in Toledo. Most often, the landscapes from this period are populated with female models, with his wife and daughter. Târgoviște remains, in parallel, a constant refuge, from where comes the series of paintings inspired by the Princely Court, the landscapes with old houses and still lifes with flowers. Thus, the current work fits into a stage where Petrașcu was, paradoxically, a devoted traveler of native places. The central character is the artist's wife, Lucreția Petrașcu, portrayed in Romanian folk costume, with her gaze directed towards the viewer. The costume is rendered with attention to ornamental details: blouse with embroidery - depicted by orange, green, and blue spots on a white background -, a belt around the waist, and a red scarf on her head. The color palette combines ochre, white, dark red, and brown, with lights focused on the face and bust of the character. The brushstroke is broad, the pictorial texture is dense, a characteristic of the artist.

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