Hosted in a beautiful classical building, the Art Museum in Ploiesti is surely the most prestigious and admired cultural institution of the city, it's history beginning with the Art Gallery of Ploiesti. This famous and large collection was founded in November 1931 by a group of local intelectuals and art collectors, such as Ion Ionescu-Quintus, Toma T. Socolescu, Dumitru Munteanu-Ramnic, and few others. It was after the First World War that every Romanian city tried to put together an art museum, and the Art Gallery in Ploiesti was one of the better one, similar to other institutions such as the Brukenthal Museum, the National Art Gallery of the Theodor Aman Museum, to name but a few.
Moved during the Second World War, the Art Gallery would become the Art Museum in 1955, and in 1969 it moved to today's location, on Independence Bvd, in the "Ghita Ionescu" Palace, one of the best known public buildings of the city. It is a historical monument, of great architectural beauty and elegance, in the style that was in fashion in the 19th century, a mix of Romanian tradition and foreign influences. At first it was the home of Ghita Ionescu (1833 - 1898), a lawyer and politician that build the house in 1885 - 1894, with the architect Leonida Negrescu. The architect used what he had studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, so the French elements are maybe overwhelming, but carefully inserted in the ensemble. It is a beautiful project, with rich interior decorations and elements, very suitable for such a museum, as it emphasises the works of art on display. The collections of the museum have a large number of Romanian contemporary and modern art, from the 19th and 20th century, structured in four distinct departments : painting, sculpture, graphics, decorative art.
The painting collection began in 1931 and over the years it grew, by means of collections and donations (the best being the Seulescu - Stere Donation) offering an impressive overview of the genre, styles and foreign influences. The names featured here, in permanent or temporary shows, range from obscure and forgotten artists to the best names in Romanian art : Josef August Schoefft, Constantin Daniel Rosenthal, Constantin Lecca, Gheorghe Tattarescu, Theodor Aman and many others. Among the best known artists we find here some of the best works by Nicolae Grigorescu, Ion Andreescu, Stefan Luchian, Theodor Pallady, Gheorghe Petrascu, Jean Al. Steriadi, Nicolae Tonitza, Rodica Maniu, Iosif Iser, Corneliu Baba, Alexandru, Ciucurencu Ion Ţuculescu, Ion Pacea, Constantin Piliuta, and many, many others.
There is also a serious collection of graphical art, from drawings and sketches to larger compositions and watercolours, by Steriadi, Tonitza, Grigorescu, Pallady and Baba, to mention but a few. Of great interest is the rich selection of 19th century engravings, which was owned by Theodor Aman. This one is completed by engravings and prints from the 20th century, gathered from Romania and abroad. In 1990, by organising the International Biennale of Contemporary Engraving "Iosif Iser", the museum's collection of the genre rapidly grew with several hundred exhibits, from all over the world, one of the richest in the country.
The sculpture section is much smaller, yet at the same time very valuable, as it has works by Dimitrie Paciurea, Cornel Medrea, Oscar Han, Alexandru Călinescu (and so on, some of the best names in Romanian sculpture. In the decorative arts section there are several important collections of ceramics and glass, one of 19th century Romanian icons, one of contemporary Romanian tapestry.
The Art Museum in Ploiesti is worth a visit anytime you are in town, as it focuses on the creations and ideas of important Romanian artists, and a visit here comes to be a trek throughout the history of Romanian art over the last two centuries. Of special interest is without a doubt the selection of works by famous Romanian artists, many of them masters who ere highly influential and appreciated both in the country and abroad.
2008-02-25
www.artline.ro
