20. Wedding in Bucovina [anii '20]

Arthur Verona asserted himself in Romanian plastic art starting with the last decade of the 19th century, demonstrating through his creation a plastic optimism, captured in a slightly academic vision, alongside which he spontaneously arranged plein-air fresh painting. He created large mural compositions, both secular and religious, painted sober or melancholic portraits and was the painter of landscapes illuminated by the presence of villagers. First trained at the German school and then at the French one, Arthur Verona put his talent into interpreting Romanian motifs. He loved the picturesque of the native landscape and everything that the Romanian peasant had more noble in his secular tradition. The subjects most often evoked by the artist represented Moldovan peasants with their picturesque costumes, capturing village life and customs against the backdrop of the Romanian landscape. Among these, we mention "At the Hearth", "Apple Picking", "Girls in Bukovina", "Two Girls" and "Wedding in Moldova". In this work, on a white snow background, like a cinematic frame, a sled covered with multicolored carpets that carries the wedding-goers dressed in folk costumes strongly emerges. The lively, vibrant expression of the costumes contrasts with the immaculate white around. This work reminds of "Peasant wedding in winter" by the evoked motifs (sled, winter, marriage), which was presented at the Biennale in Venice in 1924, and later bought by the king of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III. Foreigners appreciated the exoticism of the subject, while Romanian criticism noted the overly accentuated contrast. (L.M.)

References

ZURESCU, Ion, "Verona", E.S.P.L.A., Bucharest, 1957 PREUTU, Marina, RĂILEANU, Brândușa, ”The painters of the Verona family”, Humanitas, 2002

Dimensions

width 76 cm, height 54 cm

Description

oil on cardboard, signed bottom right, with black, "Verona"

Dating

anii '20

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