142. Nude [1933]

Nicolae Tonitza

1886, Bârlad - 1940, Bucureşti

Selling price

EUR 75.000

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Session

Tue, 21 December 2021 19:00

Starting with 1926, one of the shining themes of the artist Tonitza, both graphically and pictorially, would be the nude theme. Captured in their boudoir, in the privacy of their home or in Balchik, the nudes will provide the image of deeply plastic interpretations, in which the artist would position the colour on the scale of his creative values. According to his own beliefs, the nude would reflect a subtle twinning between colour and light, thus becoming a matter of study and, in time, a leitmotif of his creation. A virtuoso drawer, who practiced in the classes of "accademie", the artist would become accustomed to depicting the human body from the first years of studies, researching the volumes, the proportions, the dynamics and plasticity, which he would later wrap in new plastic interpretations. His contemplation is warm and delightedly made around a bright palette, that he observes and understands. He does not reproduce copies of the nature in front of him, nor does it try to imitate, but would recompose its shapes in chromatic correspondences and freely captured luminosities. He would play with brushstrokes in broad planes, avoiding the perfect anatomies, a detail that would also explain his predilection for the representation of the torso, in the representation of which he demonstrated a special interest for the tone luminosities. The vibrant interpretation of the translucent epidermis, outlined through fine line details, frames the character in almost matte backgrounds, usually dominated by a single colour, and sometimes in lavish scenes, with intense arabesques and colours. He practiced painting from memory, which would separate the nude theme from the human sphere, framing it in a general plastic plan, thus revealing the contemplative manner of the artist's interpretations on life, and the study issues, that he would approach for the mere purpose of chromatics and light, which were to turn into a belief. Displayed in 1964 in the Retrospective Exhibition of the Painter Nicolae Tonitza, organized at the National Museum of Art, the painting "Nude" would join the 11 paintings in the collection of Dr. Maria Avramescu ("Woman in the room" – 1925, "Puppets" – 1927-1928, "Static nature with ceramic vessel" – 1927, col. H. Trembinski, "The Spanish Woman" – 1927-1928, "Vase with yellow flowers on a decorative background" – 1927-1929, "Static nature with vessel and book" – 1927-1929, "Flower pot and umbrella" – 1927-1929, col. N. Tabacovici, "Flower pot" – 1928-1940, "Flower pot" – 1928-1930, both once forming a pendant, "Sword lilies" – 1935, from the former col. Constantin Potârcă), praised as the most consistent participation of a virtuoso. (GM)

References

TONITZA, Nicolae, „Scrieri despre artă”, Ed. Meridiane, București, 1964. ȘORBAN, Raoul, „Nicolae Tonitza”, Ed. Meridiane, București, 1965. ȘORBAN, RAOUL, „Nicolae Tonitza”, Ed. Meridiane, 1973. OPREA, Petre, „Colecționara de artă dr. Maria Avramescu” (1902-1994), Revista Muzeelor, Nr. 2, 1996.

Dimensions

width 30 cm, height 40 cm, custom 40 Ã 30 cm

Description

oil on canvas, signed and dated upper right, with black, "Tonitza, (19)33"

Research information

The artwork was part of "The Group of Four" Exhibition, 1933, no. cat. 153, under the title "Studiu" ("Study"). The artwork was part of "N. N. Tonitza" Exhibition, R.P.R. Art Museum, January-March 1964, and is reproduced in the exhibition catalogue under cat. 212, under the title "Nud de fatÄ pe fond verde" ("Naked girl on a green background"). The artwork is reproduced in "Tonitza", Barbu Brezianu, Publishing House of the Academy of the Socialist Republic of Romania, Bucharest, 1967, under cat. 116, under the title "Nud de fatÄ pe fond verde" ("Naked girl on a green background"). The artwork is reproduced in "N. N. Tonitza", Barbu Brezianu, Meridiane Publishing House, 1986, under cat. 84, under the title "Nud de fatÄ pe fond verde" ("Naked girl on a green background"). The artwork is mentioned in "Revista Muzeelor", No. 2, 1996, p. 28.

Dating

1933

PROVENANCE

colecÈia istoricÄ A. Florian; colecÈia istoricÄ Aurel Èi Maria Avramescu.

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