ELISABETA NEGRĂU
The Painters of the Bucovăţ Monastery and the Kastorian Influences in Wallachia
Abstract
Before the mural paintings in the church of St. Nicholas of the former Bucovăț monastery (c. 1574), no traces were found of the existence of a Kastorian artistic influence in Wallachia. Carmen-Laura Dumitrescu was the first to point out the Kastorian iconographic and stylistic influences at Bucovăț. The present study proposes an investigation of the iconography and style of the paintings of Bucovăț, indicating several similarities with the murals in the church of St. Demetrius in Palatitsia (1570), the work of Nicholas of Linotopi and his team, descendants of the painting traditions of the Kastoria and Ohrid workshops. A contemporary influence originating in Serbia can also be seen at Bucovăț, pointing to the area of the newly restored Patriarchate of Peć (1557) as a place where the main painter, a Greek, may have had contacts. Our research extends to the subsequent Wallachian painted churches: the church of the Annunciation in Pitești (1564-1568 or post 1594), the church of the Căluiu monastery (1594), the Princely church in Târgoviște (late 16th cent.), the church of Sts. Archangels in Ruda-Bârsești (1624). The study concludes that a Kastorian influence coming probably via the revitalized sites of the Archdiocese of Ohrid and the Patriarchate of Peć entered Wallachia after the mid-16th century and blended into the iconography and the style of the local painters, being in part responsible for the peculiar iconographic and stylistic trends of the late 16th-century Wallachian painting.
Keywords: Bucovăț Monastery, Wallachia, Kastoria, Serbia, mural painting, 16th century
DANA JENEI
The Passion Cycle and the Hagiographical Scenes Painted inside the Choir of the Church in Curciu/Kirsh/Kőrős (county of Sibiu)
Abstract
The fragmentary murals on the northern wall of the choir of church in Curciu (Sibiu county) were almost completely under the lime until the years 2013-2014, when they were brought to light and restored.
The three-naved church, which exceeds by its proportions and rich decoration the needs of a rural community, was probably built at the beginning of the fourteenth century as a basilica, and has the choir reconstructed at the beginning of the fifteenth century, with the rich original sculpted decoration.
The greater part of the nineteen painted scenes represents the Passion of Jesus Christ, between the Entry into Jerusalem and the Descent into Hell, rendered after the Resurrection. The last five scenes apparently have a hagiographical nature, as shown by the only recognizable composition, identified presumably with the Miracle of the Black Leg performed by Sts. Cosmas and Damian, which is followed by a martyrdom scene. The change of topic is marked by the brown vertical line of the frame which – only here – overlies the grey horizontal band, at the limit between the two bays of the choir.
The fragmentary mural ensemble is probably to be dated after the ratification of the hereditary grebonem for the noblemen of Ațel in 1430, supported by Emperor Sigismund during his visit to Transylvania in 1427, providing the perfect context for the creation of these high quality murals, evidently commissioned by a discerning donor from an artist of the highest calibre.
Although the paintings in Curciu show certain formal common features with paintings from Transylvania and Slovakia around 1430, they are considerably more elevated in terms of art, and should be seen in the tradition of Thomas of Cluj’s Passion altarpiece (1427), more precisely of his Carrying of the Cross, in which mainly the scene of the Harrowing of Hell in Curciu is inscribing.
Keywords: Curciu, Transylvania, Gothic, Passion Cycle, mural painting
AURELIAN STROE
Transylvanian Saxons’ Monuments and Folk Costume in the Die Blauen Bücher Collection
Résumé
Dans la prestigiuese collection d’albums de photographie Die Blauen Bücher, d’une très bonne qualité artistique et typographique, inaugurée, en 1911, par Karl Robert Langewiesche, sont apparues de nombreuses photographies au sujet de la Transylvanie, les monuments, surtout – avec l’accent sur les églises fortifiées – et les costumes des saxons transylvains. En plus, deux des volumes de la collection, parus en 1941, furent exclusivement dédiés à la Transylvanie. Une partie de ces photographies a été faite par deux photographes saxons transylvains: Emil Fischer de Hermannstadt/Sibiu et Oskar Netoliczka de Kronstadt/Braşov. Les photographies représentent aujourd’hui une source importante d’information sur l’aspect des villages et des villes saxons de Transylvanie de l’entre-deux-guerres.
Keywords: Saxon Transylvania, fortified churches, vernacular architecture, folk costume
ADRIAN-SILVAN IONESCU
Les bals de société, le développement des arts et la modernisation des Principautés Roumaines, 1790–1859
Résumé
Les bals ont été introduits en Valachie et Moldavie à l’époque des campagnes militaires de l’empire russe et de l’empire ottoman, lorsque les Principautés se trouvaient sous l’occupation. Les officiers impériaux voulaient s’amuser et ils ont implanté leurs habitudes dans les Principautés. Les bals, costumés ou non, duraient du 1 janvier jusqu’au Mardi gras, début du Grand carême des Pâques. Il ne s’agissait pas uniquement d’une forme d’amusement facile, mais aussi d’un important élément de renouveau de la vie sociale et économique, y compris. Ces fêtes constituaient un profit pour les tailleurs, les modistes, les marchands de textiles, les pâtissiers, les épiciers, les cuisiniers etc., ce qui développait le commerce et l’industrie locale. Les peintres itinérants, ceux-là, aussi, dont peu autochtones, étaient très actifs dans l’art du portrait dans la haute société qui avait besoin d’être représentée dans toute sa splendeur, dans ses plus extravagantes toilettes, pour valider leur fortune et leur grand statut, dans des tableaux exposés dans les salons où se réunissaient les invités. Après 1840, lorsqu’on a inventé la daguerréotypie, ensuite, la photographie sur papier, la société se rendait dans les ateliers de photographie afin de commander leurs portraits.
Pendant la première moitié du XIXe siècle, le bal de société a eu un rôle civilisateur qui a connecté la société roumaine à celle de l’Europe occidentale. En dehors des danses et des toilettes à la mode, ces fêtes ont raffiné les goûts locaux, ont ciselé les manières et ont imposé la rigueur de présentation dans un cadre exclusiviste.
Keywords: Balls; fashion; dance; the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia; the 1848 Revolution; the Crimean War; Ludwig Wiest; Prince Albert of Prussia; Gheorghe Bibescu; Barbu Ştirbei; Grigore Alexandru Ghica
CORINA TEACǍ
Le symbolisme et les Beaux-Arts en Roumanie: thèmes, sources, idées (1896–1918) (I)
Résumé
Cet article tente de présenter les traits principaux de l’art symboliste roumain et les circonstances dans lesquelles il apparaît et se propage, aussi bien que les sujets mis en circulation.
Keywords: Symbolism in Romania, modern art, art in Eastern Europe
RAMONA CARAMELEA
Virginia Haret: the Professional Trajectory of a Woman Architect in Interwar Romania
Abstract
Virginia Haret came to the attention of the public opinion due to the claim that she was the first Romanian female architect, and less from an interest in her work or in the professional history of architects. The paper investigates the professional path and the activity of Virginia Haret, focusing on the institutional structures in which she activated. The research discusses the circumstances that allowed her to enter a male dominated profession after the First World War, focusing on the way she used studies as a path to enter the domain and on her contribution to the built environment.
Keywords: Virginia Haret, architect, professional expertise, gender, built environment
MIHAI SORIN RĂDULESCU
L’une des premières femmes architectes roumaines : Ada Zăgănescu
Abstract
Descendant of a boyar family of the former Râmnicu Sărat county (nowadays partly in the Vrancea county, partly in the Buzău county), Ada Zăgănescu (1889–1975) was one of the first women–architects in the history of Romanian architecture and also in the world. The very first Romanian woman-architect is considered to have been Virginia Haret-Andreescu, niece of great Romanian painter Ion Andreescu (1850–1882).
Less prolific than Virginia Haret-Andreescu, Ada Zăgănescu is much less known. Ada Zăgănescu’s family is somewhat famous because of the figure of colonel Pavel Zăgănescu, well known Romanian firefighter. The buildings projected by Ada Zăgănescu are illustrating the Art Déco style in Romanian architecture. She worked with some good architects of the interwar period: Arghir Culina, Gheorghe Simotta and Achile Ghiaciu. It is also worth mentioning that Ada Zăgănescu was married to the diplomat and cultural historian Marcu Beza, former consul of Romania in Jerusalem and afterwards in London.
Keywords: Zăgănescu boyar family; Marcu Beza; architect Gheorghe Simotta; architect Arghir Culina; Art Déco Style
EDUARD ANDREI
Notes sur un peintre roumain peu connu : Dimitrie Belizarie
Résumé
Cette étude porte sur la vie et l’œuvre de l’artiste roumain d’origine grecque Dimitrie Belizarie (1883–1947), qui fait aujourd’hui partie de la catégorie des «peintres oubliés». Descendant d’une famille de peintres, il a étudié à l’École des Beaux-Arts de Bucarest (1901–1905), avec le professeur Gh. Demetrescu Mirea, qui l’a formé dans l’esprit de l’académisme qu’il a lui-même pratiqué. Cependant, certaines de ses peintures de chevalet trahissent l’influence de l’impressionnisme et du post-impressionnisme. Il s’est ensuite spécialisé en Italie, à Jérusalem et au Mont Athos. En tant que peintre d’église, Belizarie a été un adepte du néobyzantinisme et a réalisé des peintures à fresque ou des restaurations pour plusieurs édifices religieux, y compris l’Église Saint-Nicolas de Comarnic, la nouvelle Cathédrale métropolitaine de Târgovişte, la Chapelle centrale du cimetière Bellu à Bucarest et la Cathédrale patriarcale de Bucarest. Devenu un expert du Patriarcat de Roumanie et aussi vice-président du Syndicat des Beaux-Arts, en 1936 l’artiste a traduit en roumain, en le comparant avec les textes français et allemands, le célèbre Traité de peinture de Cennino Cennini.
Keywords: Belizarie family, Church painters, Cennino Cennini, The St. Nicholas Church of Comarnic, Neo-Byzantinism, The School of Fine Arts – Bucharest, The Patriarchate of Romania.
L’exposition Les Nadar. Une légende photographique, Bibliothèque Nationale de France [BNF], 16 oct. 2018 – 3 févr. 2019 (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu), p. 149
L’exposition Alphonse Mucha, Musée du Luxembourg, 12 septembre 2018 – 27 janvier 2019 (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu), p. 158
L’exposition Edward S. Curtis. Mann, myten og legenden/The man, the myth, the legend, Preus Museum, Horten, 29 sept. 2019 – 4 oct. 2020 (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu), p. 170
L’exposition Eli Lotar (1905–1969), Musée des Collections d’Art, Bucarest, 18 avril – 14 juillet 2019 (Eduard Andrei), p. 177
L’exposition Franz Marc auf dem Weg zum Blauen Reiter. Skizzenbücher, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg, 23 mai – 1 septembre 2019 (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu), p. 185
The exhibition Partea nevăzută a colecţiei Alexandru Phoebus (1899-1954), The Art Collections Museum, Bucharest, 6 November 2019 – 25 March 2020. The Repertory of Alexandru Phoebus’ Collection (Virginia Barbu), p. 188
L’exposition Autour et alentours du Surréalisme, Musée National d’Art de Roumanie, Bucarest, 27 septembre 2019 – 2 février 2020 (Virginia Barbu), p. 192
The exhibition Constantin Daniel Rosenthal (1820–1851): un artist în vremea revoluţiei (Constantin Daniel Rosenthal (1820–1851), an Artist in the Time of Revolution), Bucharest, National Museum of Art, 24 sept. 2020 – 21 febr. 2021 (Olivia Niţiș), p. 195
Conférence internationale ORACLE 37, Horten, Norvège, 1–4 novembre 2019 (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu), p. 197
Conférence internationale Virtual ORACLE 38, 6–8 novembre 2020 (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu), p. 205
La 22e Assemblée Générale RIHA (The International Association of Research Institutes in the History of Art), 30 octobre, 2020 (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu), p. 208
“Artworks and Scientific Investigations”. An International Online Conference within the ID-Art Programme Framework, 10 December 2020 (Zoom Platform) (Elisabeta Negrău), p. 211
The highest cultural honors for Petar Kardjilov (Marian Ţuţui), p. 214
En cours de parution, p. 217 (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu)
RICHARD MEDIONI, Mon Camarade/Vaillant/Pif. L’histoire complète 1901–1994 (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu), p. 219
CIPRIAN FIREA, Polipticele medievale din Transilvania: artă, liturghie, patronaj (Medieval Polyptychs from Transylvania: Art, Liturgy, Patronage), ed. Mega, Cluj-Napoca 2016, 518 p, with ilustrations (Maria Anghel), p. 226
COSTIN PETRESCU, La Iaşi în timpul războiului, 1916–1917. Însemnările unui pictor refugiat, Bucarest, 2018, Ed. Humanitas, étude introductive, chronologie et notes par Virginia Barbu; EDUARD ANDREI, Pictorul Costin Petrescu la New York, 1919–1920, Bucarest, 2019, Ed. Paidea (Ioana Beldiman), p. 229
GEORG GERSTER, MARTIN RILL, Schäßburg und die Große Kokel, Herausgeber: Martin Rill, Buchversand Südost, Siebenbürgen Buch, 2020, 312 p. (Aurelian Stroe), p. 232
PhotoResearcher, no. 34, In Focus: Photography in Romania, Guest Editor: Adrian-Silvan Ionescu, 104 p+ill. (Aurelian Stroe), p. 235
RON TYLER, Western Art, Werstern History. Collected Essays, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, 2019, 300 p. + ill. (Adrian-Silvan Ionescu), p. 239
ADRIAN-SILVAN IONESCU, Baluri în România modernă. 1790–1920 (Balls in Modern Romania, 1790–1920), Editura Vremea, București, 2020, 268 p. + ill. (Virginia Barbu), p. 244
