NICOLAE GRIGORESCU Nicolae Grigorescu was born on 15

May 1838 in Dâmboviţa and he died

on 21 July 1907

H

e 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 MONASTERY AGAPIA 1858-1860

U

nder 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’)

DOORKEEPER FROM CHAILLY

A

rtist-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.

B

ased 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

THE ATTACK FROM SMARDAN

ARTILLERISTS MARCHING

A

fter 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

W

hen 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

DEAD NATURE WITH BIRDS

LITTLE CABIN IN THE WOODS

SHEPPERD

THE GIRL WITH THE TURBAN

RETURNING FROM THE FIELDS

DASIES

ON A MOUNTAIN PEAK

LOGOFETEASA

PEASANT LADY FROM MUSCEL

FLOWERY POT