Why aren't many of the Romanian painters remembered and appreciated as they should be ? Why aren't their works and lives better known and much more popular, despite their talent and value ? And how could they be promoted better, especially when it comes to the Old Masters of Romanian art, which are not as loved as they should be ?
Gheorghe Petrascu (1872 - 1949) is among those artists which, no matter how good they were - and he was one of the greatest - is not as popular today. Which is a loss for all. Born in 1872 in Tecuci, Gheorghe Petrascu was one of the great painters of the past century in Romania, a member of the Academy, the creator of a new artistic trend, an original and highly influential artist in his time. His works are easily recognisable due to the strenght of the colours, the interesting and powerful manner in which they are put together in the compositions. An interesting and very "European" artist, high in demand at art auctions, admired by many younger artists who continued his style and techniques.
He was also the brother of Nicolae Petrascu, diplomat, writer, art and literary critic. He first studied at the Belle Arte Academy in Bucharest and later won a scholarship, which made it possible for him to leave abroad. After spending some time in Munich he moved to Paris, where he enrolled at the Academie Julian, one of the most prestigious art schools. He used this time for perfecting his style, he visited museums and art galleries, worked in the studios opened by important artists and became familiar with the new trends and changes in European art. For most of his life he would continue travelling abroad, visiting museums and galleries in Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Italy, Greece, Spain and so on.
In 1900 he had his first solo exhibition in Romania, with great success, for he managed to sell two of his paintings to Barbu Delavrancea and Alexandru Vlahuta, two important Romanian writers and art lovers. Later he joined the "Artistic Youth" exhibitions, in 1937 he exhibited at the Paris International Exhibition - winning the Great Prize - exhibited several times at the Venice Biennial and had several great shows in Romania. He was already considered one of the best voices in modern art and his style was finding not only several buyers, but also admirers and imitators.
Over his lenghty career, Gheorghe Petrascu produced landscapes - his Venice scenes being the best-known and most remarcable - a series of portraits and self-portraits, still lifes and so on. A prolific and highly original artist, he brought something new and powerful in Romanian art, a manner which was schockingly vivid and colourful.
He would pass away in 1949, in Bucharest, at the height of his popularity and career, but unfortunatelly he is not as popular today as he should be. His works, highly appreciated by collectors and curators, are in private collections or can be admired in museums and galleries, mainly in Romania, but also in other countries. But since over the last few years their value at art auctions has gone up, it is certain that for Gheorghe Patrascu the success story will continue.
image : muzee-dambovitene.ro
