SENSO Art Gallery hosted on Thursday, the 7th of June 2018, the launching of „Viata tacuta a naturii. Flori, fructe, delicatese si obiecte in pictura moderna romaneasca, 1916 – 1946” (“The Silent Life of Nature. Flowers, Fruit, Dainties and Objects in Romanian Modern Painting, 1916-1946”), an exceptional work signed by Doina Pauleanu, critic and Doctor of Art History. Presented by Dan C. Mihailescu, historian and literary critic, the event was graced with the presence of several cultured persons, admirers and close friends of the author.
This is the first monography of the genre published in Romania, which, with the publication of the second volume – the first volume was launched in 2016 and refers to the period 1846-1916 – contains the creation of our great artists, who have created still lives throughout an entire century. Issued in excellent graphic conditions by the “Monitorul Oficial” Publishing House, the album is the result of unabating documentation work, providing, at the same time, visual indulgence, accompanied by the comment of a much-appreciated researcher in the field.
Its 312 pages present over 200 illustrations of the paintings, which are hosted in specialized public institutions – The National Museum of Art of Romania and the Museum of Art Collections, the Museum of the Municipality of Bucharest, the museums from Constanta, Arad, Bacau, Barlad, Brasov, Braila, Craiova, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Piatra-Neamt, Ploiesti, Targu Mures, Tulcea – as well as in important private collections throughout the country.
It deals with a history of still lives in Romanian paintings from 1916 – the year Stefan Luchian’s passing, which ended the 1st volume – until 1946, and it analyses the evolution of the genre in the work of Nicolae Tonitza, Stefan Dimitrescu, Francisc Sirato, Theodor Pallady, Gheorghe Petrascu and Ion Theodorescu-Sion. Here are the titles of the book’s chapters: “Stefan Luchian’s Posterity”, “Colour Fusing – Nicolae Tonitza”, “Intellectualized Nature – Francisc Sirato”, “Stefan Dimitrescu’s High Professional Consciousness”, “The Key to the Paintings of Pallady is Represented by Still Lives”, “The Grandeur of Silent Objects – Gheorghe Petrascu”, “The Versatility of Ion Theodorescu-Sion’s Painting”.
“One last volume will refer to the creation of the other still life authors who activated in the interwar period, in order to put together a revealing synthesis concerning an artistic genre which has appealed to the most important Romanian painters” – said Doina Pauleanu.
Having a PhD in the History of Arts, granted by the University of Bucharest, and the manager of the Constanta Art Museum since 1990, Doina Pauleanugraduated from the “Nicolae Grigorescu” Institute of Visual Arts Bucharest (currently the National Academy of Arts), the Art History and Theory department. She has published numerous books and art albums – “Regalitatea si marea” (“Royalty and the Sea”), “Tonitza”, “Cazinoul din Constanta. Boema, loisir si patrimoniu european la Marea Neagra” (“The Constanta Casino, Boema, Loisir and European Heritage at the Black Sea”), “Pictori romani la Balcic” (“Romanian Painters at Balcic”) et al.). Her activity has been rewarded with special honours and awards, of which we make mention of the following: the National Cultural Heritage Award, granted by the Ministry of Culture and Religions, and the Critics’ Award of the Visual Artists’ Union of Romania– 2003, the Cultural Merits Order to the Officer rank – 2004, the “George Oprescu” award for the history of arts, of the Romanian Academy – 2007 or Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France – 2008.
Also noteworthy is the fact that all vernissages held at the a SENSO Art Gallery are presented by the author of the book, Doina Pauleanu.
The event was supported by FILDAS Art and Catena, through the CATENA for ART programme.