He was born in October 1820 in Focsani and would prove to be an important artist, one of the Romanian voices in the Neo-Classicist movement and a certain influences at the end of the 19th century. At first he studied painting under the guidance of his uncle, Nicolae Teodorescu, who gave him the first tips and tricks, in a classical manner, influenced by his training as a religious painter. Later Tattarescu enrolled at a school in Buzau, founded by his uncle, and the two would later work together, painting churches.
"The Birth of Our Lord” painted by Gheorghe Tattarescu is represented on a postage stamp
In 1845 - 1851 he was in Italy, in Rome, on a scholarship, studying at the San Luca Academy, where he perfected his training and discovered with great enthusiasm the values and great works of the Renaissance masters and the beauty of classical Italian art. He produced several copies after Raphael, Guido Reni, Salvatore Rosa and others, which proved to be really useful in helping him find his own style. He was also a participant in the 1848 Revolution, which was accordingly to his own Romantic ideals.
Gheorghe Tattarescu would also paint the portraits of several key-figures of the Revolution and in 1851 he produced three versions of one of his best works, a portrait of Nicolae Balcescu, one of the most important characters of the political life of that period, a Romantic character who gave his best for the freedom of the country, finally ending in a tragic way. It was after 1848 that he would paint several historical compositions, inspired by moments in Romanian history, the main theme being the fight for unity, independence and freedom, such as Rebirth of Romania (1849).
Already a respected artist, highly influential, he received in 1860 a special commision : to undertake to composition of a "National Album" of Romania's historical monuments and natural views. This gave him the idea to try several landscapes, which were surprisingly fresh and interesting. Much of his career was still dedicated to the first art passion : religious art, whose principles he had learned from his uncle.
Over the next few years, he would paint over 50 churches in Iasi and Bucharest, and most of his work can still be admired today, as it follows both the religious strict rules and his personal ideals. Tattarescu was one of the few religious artists who could mix this two ways of working in that way. Together with Theodor Aman, Tattarescu founded the Fine Arts School in Bucharest in 1864. The artist would also be a teacher and director of the institution, and once again proved to be very inspired and very good at this.
In 1855 he managed to buy a house in Bucharest, to live and work there, and he would do so for almost 40 years. It was in 1951 that the Memorial Museum Gheorghe Tattarescu was officially opened, hosting many of the artist's best works, an impressive selection by all means. From sketches and drawings to larger compositions, portraits, landscapes and the likes, this splendid historical monument has one of the best collections of 19th century Romanian art. You cand discover here by whom Tattarescu was influenced, which were his favourite subjects, which themes did he preffer, you can guess what were the phases of his career. A museum everyone should visit, if they have the chance.
