99. The King [1947]

In addition to the qualities that have attributed him the title of absolute portraitist, Eustațiu Stoenescu also stood out through a special power to illustrate still life. The subject of animal origin makes its appearance from the beginning of his creation. Thus, we find works such as "My Friend", made in Paris, in 1929 (work that practically presents the portrait of a dog); "The Black Hen", made in Bucharest, in 1937, a work that participated in the Venice Biennale in 1938, being later acquired by the Italian state and exhibited at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome; "Station with the rooster", made in Bucharest, in 1943 (portrait of a man illustrated holding a rooster in his arms), "Mother's Girl", made in Bucharest, in 1943 (a puppy); or "The little hens", made in 1945. The present work, representing a turkey (subject also taken up in another work), was created by the artist in 1947. Classified now in the “Treasure” category of the National Cultural Heritage, the work recreates a last connection with the native space and the village life, given that in the autumn of the same year the artist settled in Paris. Perhaps even Drăghiceni, the village that served as a pictorial motive for several works, was the basis of his inspiration this time. The year 1947 proved to be a prolific one in his career. Stoenescu was now present in exhibitions such as "Italy seen by Romanian painters"; he was awarded the "Cultural Merit" and participated in the events of the "Official Salon" or of the "Art" group. The more or less subjective transcription of reality was to become one of the stylistic marks of the painter, who undoubtedly subscribed to chromatic effects. A repetitive lighting and an elegant illustration of the pictorial elements through the representation of the tangible object - of materiality - in a succulent paste in which vibrant tones are embedded are now distinguished.

References

REZEANU, Paul, "Eustatiu Stoenescu", Arc Publishing, Bucharest, 2000.

Dimensions

width 89 cm, height 55 cm

Description

oil on wood, signed and dated top right, in ochre, "E. Stoenescu, 1947"

Research information

The work is classified in the Treasury category of the Mobile National Cultural Heritage, by order of the Minister of Culture no. 2019 from 19.01.2007.

Dating

1947

PROVENANCE

Elena and Dr. Iosif Dona collection; Maria Dona collection; heritage of the Art Museum of the Socialist Republic of Romania; heritage of the Art Collections Museum affiliated with the National Art Museum of Romania; Dr. Şerban Andronescu Ghika collection.

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