92. Boats in Delta [cca. 1924]

The solar atmosphere and the fullness of nature inspire Nicolae Dărăscu to create a series of works in which he captures the fishing vessels, small houses with rich gardens, busy markets or endless expanses of blue. In the present work, the artist pays particular attention to the way he constructs the forms and how he overlays the brushstrokes. He unfolds his canvases in a limited palette, using only a few colors. The coloration of the harbor, ships, and buildings extends into the representation of the water, whose blue also takes on red, yellow, or green accents. This work is part of the series of works that Nicolae Dărăscu dedicates to Vâlcov. Recorded in one of the issues of "National Geographic" magazine in 1940 as the "Venice of the Delta", the small settlement on the mouth of the Danube was to be elevated to the rank of pictorial motif in a large series of works. Successively exploring the characteristics of Impressionism and those of Neo-Impressionism, the artist confesses his love for nature. Arriving in Paris at the Julian Academy, he works in the studio of Jean Paul Laurens and borrows from the palette and the way of placing the strokes from his master. In the frenzy and tumult of the French capital, he will visit museums, collections, and exhibitions that help him delve into the aesthetic depths of artistic currents. He will now develop a passion for the work of Monet and will deepen his inclination towards pointillism. His vocation for nature and its transcription into pictorial matter do not converge towards the illustration of an active landscape, with restless waves or moving boats, but towards the reflection of the Danube marked by a deep calm. Receptive to changes in the external environment and possessing a deep understanding of everyday life, Nicolae Dărăscu presents the water and boats as a symbol of possible pilgrimages. His reunion with Dobrogea in 1919 marks a transmutation in the artist's creation. He will adopt a wider brushstroke, with carefully juxtaposed strokes in favor of coloration and will subtly integrate shades of gray among vibrant colors. In the port on the banks of the Danube, the painter was to come into contact with water, with boats and journeys, transforming the works dedicated to the sea or sun into a chromatic kaleidoscope.

References

DRĂGUȚ, Vasile, "Nicolae Dărăscu", Meridiane Publishing House, Bucharest, 1966.

Dimensions

width 60.5 cm, height 49.5 cm

Description

oil on canvas, signed lower right, in red, "N. Dărăscu"

Dating

cca. 1924

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