77. Elegance (The Artist's Wife) [1923]

From the time of his studies, Nicolae Vermont demonstrates his qualities as a portrait artist, with works such as "Workers at the Table" or "Portrait of a Man". From then until his mature creative years, the artist seeks to capture psychological effects of subjects through compositional organization and successively passes through the peculiarities of German and French Impressionism. In the last years of his creation, between 1918 and 1932, Vermont demonstrates the experience accumulated in portraiture genre. The artist uses this medium to study human physiognomy and explore the desire to capture human feelings caught in the features of the face, in the gestures and attitudes of the body. We find these concerns for example in the "Portrait of the Artist's Wife", where "the shadow of a stubbornness is captured", as noted by Pavel and Ionescu (1958). Thus, emphasis is placed on psychological traits and on highlighting the moral peculiarities of the models he portrays. The present work is dated 1923 and depicts the face of a young woman, staring at the viewer. The background against which the model's silhouette is profiled is almost completely black and barely distinguishes from her outfit. Thus, the ensemble of a sober color is enlivened by a few golden and white accents. (L.M.)

References

PAVEL, Amelia, IONESCU, Radu, "Monographs of Artists II - Nicolae Vermont", Publishing House of the People's Republic of Romania Academy, Bucharest, 1958.

Dimensions

width 64.5 cm, height 81.5 cm

Description

oil on cardboard, signed and dated bottom right, with green, "Nicolae Vermont, (1)923"

Research information

The artwork was featured in the Official Salon of the Athenaeum, 1930.

Dating

1923

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For clarifications regarding the bidding procedure, hammer price costs, guarantee, payment, and collection terms for the winning lot, we recommend carefully reading/re-reading the Bidding Regulations.

For additional information regarding the lot and the auction, please contact the Art Consultants Department.