28. "Icon on Glass, 'The Ascension to Heaven of the Holy Prophet Elijah and scenes from his life', Prodan family workshop, probably Maria Prodan, Alba Iulia, end of 19th century, collectors item"

The composition unfolds on two registers: in the upper one, Elijah is taken to heaven in a golden chariot drawn by two winged horses; in the lower register, an agricultural scene replaces the representation of the departure from Elisha: a plow pulled by two white oxen is maneuvered by a peasant behind whom a woman spins and rocks a cradle with a child with her foot; in the artist's vision, the two are probably Adam and Eve; the landscape is formed of high hills, bordered by "wolf's teeth" and trees with umbrella-shaped foliage. (A.D.)

Dimensions

width 40 cm, height 49.5 cm

Description

tempera and gold leaf on glaze, baited and painted frame

PROVENANCE

Coriolan Neamţu was born in 1925, in Satu-Mare, in a family of Transylvanian intellectuals. He was a graduate of the Faculty of Law and of the Academy of High Commercial and Industrial Studies in Bucharest. His particular concern for the game of bridge allowed him to overcome professional dissatisfactions, inherent to the communist regime, and to passionately dedicate himself to bridge. He was an active promoter and organizer of the game of bridge in Romania, tournament director and bridge professor. Coriolan Neamţu wrote and edited between 1970-1983 (the year when bridge was officially banned in Romania) the magazine "Expert Bridge", printed and distributed in hundreds of copies in a quasi-clandestinity. A professional journalist, with a section in domestic magazines and newspapers and many contributions to prestigious magazines abroad, he wrote several bridge literature works: "Competitive Bridge" (1973), "Fun Bridge" (1982), "Start Bridge" (1990), "Humorous Bridge" (1991) and "Bridge Conventions" (1991). Also being a great animal lover, the author published in 1979 a book entitled "The Dog, Man's Friend", which was greatly appreciated at the time of publication. In 2000 he published the volume of maxims and thoughts "Restitutio in absurdum". He was a member of the Romania Jockey Club, of the International Association of Bridge Journalists, the world vice-champion of the IBPA bridge in 1992 at Salsomaggiore and editor of the bridge column in the "Free Time" magazine, the weekly supplement of the "Free Romania" newspaper.

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