84. Paulina Cocea's Portrait

Although the artist is renowned for invoking nature and flowers, a theme concentrating a large part of his work towards the end of his period of creation, the human face and the eternal feminine, have also found their own path towards the artist's soul. Henceforth, rendering human figures had the same importance for the artist as illustrating nature. He experimented with light in its pure colour, unfolding through various techniques - water colours, pastels, oil painting. Through portrait painting, Luchian directs his attention towards the depth of life and a deeper understanding of mankind. Manet's portraits and composition seem to be the artist's main source of inspiration. The writings dedicated to Luchian's work emphasize his humane nature, encompassing a love rooted in a deep knowledge of human emotions. This trait led to positioning the human being at the centre of his creation, and to the accomplishment of some of the most profound portraits in Romanian art. Starting with the second half of his life (1901), when the first signs of illness appeared, according to biographic notes, the artist lived with the family of his cousin, Paulina Cocea, who nursed him, and who is represented in the current canvas, "Lăutul" ("Hair Washing"). She was his first cousin, daughter of Zoe Luchian Economu, mother of Laura Cocea-Cornescu. In 1902, the artist's health deteriorated and remained confined at home, bound to an armchair. The painter's physical agony was amplified by his inner turmoil, as he was no longer able to go out in the middle of nature, his main source of inspiration, yet he kept painting, especially flowers. Paulina helped him prepare the colours, placed his hand on the canvas, brought him flowers, put them inside the vase, and then he immortalised them on canvas. Luchian's most valuable paintings are also those who took the hardest struggle and suffering to complete. The Cocea-Cornescu family, who were often depicted in the artist's works, have lived in the house on Bd. Primăverii all their life, keeping Luchian's memory alive, with his belongings and artworks. (E.C.)

Literatura

Oana Marinache (scientific researcher, member of the Union of Fine Artists, Criticism Section, founding member and president of the Istoria Artei Association), "Casele Familiei Luchian și arhitecții lor" ("The Luchian family houses and their architects").

Dimenzije

width 28 cm, height 32 cm

Opis

watercolour and pencil on paper, signed bottom left, with brown, "Luchian"

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