Nicolae Grigorescu

NICOLAE GRIGORESCU Nicolae Grigorescu was born on 15 May 1838 in Dâmboviţa and he died on 21 July 1907

He was the best painter of the 19th century. He was born in a family of peasants. Since the age of 12, after a short apprenticeship in the workshop of a painter (A.Chladek) he

started to paint icons to earn his existence. Later he received orders to paint for different churches , he started to paint and one of his panting was noticed through the

realistic interpretation of saints and through bright colors.

THE ENSEMBLE FROM THE CHURCH OF M O N A S T E RY A G A P I A 1 8 5 8 - 1 8 6 0

 Under the influence of union ideas and the ballads of D.Bolintineanu,

Grigorescu tried the historical composition (‘Mihai scapand stindardul’ – ‘Mihai Dropping the Flag: some allegorical drawings, naive but honest, on the theme of union). In 1861 with the help of Mihail Kogalniceanu, he received a scholarship and he went to Paris, where he worked for one year

in a workshop of an art school and then he joined the group of Barbizon. In the same period, Grigorescu studied the greatest masters of universal painting (Rembrandt,Rubens,Gericault,Courbet), after which he made many copies. In France, in our country, and in 1873-1874 in Italy, his talent

was confirmed in many paintings full of poetry (“Paznicul din Chailly” – ‘Doorkeeper from Chailly’,”Bătrâna cârpind”–‘Old woman sewing’, ‘Pifferaro’)

D O O R K E E P E R F RO M C H A I L LY

Artist-citizen animated of patriotism , Grigorescu was called in 1877 as reporter on front , participating at the most significant events. There he worked with safety and speed to sketch hundreds of drawings, which restore significant points and tips of the War for Independence.

Based on the events, he painted hundreds of paintings permeated by warm humanity, of solidarity with soldiers: “Spionul” – The Spy ”Santinela” – The Cop ”Convoi de prizonieri turci”- Turkish Prisoners Caravan ”Atacul de la Smardan” – The Attack from Smardan

T H E AT TAC K F RO M S M A R DA N

ARTILLERIST S MARCHING

After the war, disappointed by Romanian regime, in 1881 Grigorescu went to Paris. In France he had a rich activity, which culminated in 1887 with an exhibition, after which he was recognized as a European level painter. In this age Grigorescu made a valuable collection of paintings especially landscapes which represent corners of

Bretone and

Normande cities and marine, remarkable through the transparency of the atmosphere.

FISHERLADY

When he returned to his country, Grigorescu focused for two decades on the transposition of the life from our village and the landscapes with Romanian atmosphere in his paintings.  Al.Vlahuţă named him “rapsod al pământului nostru” – (singer of our land)

THE LITTLE GIRL WITH THE RED SCARF

FOUR OXEN CART

THE ORATII INN

OXEN CARTS AT DUSK

D E A D N AT U R E W I T H B I R D S

L I T T L E C A B I N I N T H E WO O D S

SHEPPERD

T H E G I R L W I T H T H E T U R BA N

R E T U R N I N G F RO M T H E F I E L D S

DASIES

ON A MOUNTAIN PEAK

LOGOFETEASA

P E A S A N T L A DY F RO M M U S C E L

FLOWERY POT