133. Nude Inside [anii '30]

One of the favorite themes within his work is the nude, which represents an assumption of freedom in art and which will stand out, throughout history, as a special genre of painting. The period 1920-1950 is an important one in his creation, as it represents the interest in making nudes. He focuses on overcoming academicism and anatomical knowledge and stakes more on perfecting his own ideal of beauty. The portrait was practiced by Camil Ressu throughout his career, but it did not manifest itself as a standalone category, but most often it was integrated into a more generous composition. Whether he chooses interiors or landscapes, the painter shapes a theatrical register that coordinates the background of these works in which the model is offered a context. He uses the nude as a means of expression and combines the Renaissance muscular vigor and Baroque carnality within his works, where they stand out through a Renaissance type monumentality that reminds of Raphael, Giorgione or Michelangelo. The characters created by the artist are predominantly represented in a robust manner, overflowing with vital energy and fertility, as can be seen in the present representation, where the character is portrayed from semi-profile. Within the representation of the character, the full and well-defined forms can be observed: both in the area of the bust, abdomen, arms and thighs. The composition is harmonized not only through strokes and forms, but also through well-argued chromatic choices. It focuses on the rendering of the reality of volumes and constructive rhythms, where this element is particularly observed in portraits, where he pays special attention to models, lines and rendered strokes. Camil Ressu is concerned with the precise delimitation of contours, uses a predominantly linear rhythm and a bright chromatic in an attempt to underline the silhouettes of the characters in his works, such as: "On the cliff" (1920s), "Aișe" (1920s), "At the bath" (1930s) or "Nude on a divan" (1930s). Emphasis is placed on bright chromatics and the precision of contours, with the artist managing to transform reality into a profoundly balanced form of art, in which vital energy intertwines with the rigor of plastic construction, and the human figure becomes the center of an artistic and coherent vision of the scene. The background is designed to highlight the human figure, where most often, it is simplified, treated in wide chromatic surfaces, with balanced tones, creating a harmonious contrast with the characters. Through this simplification, the background becomes a space supporting the volumes, accentuating the clarity of the silhouette. Light plays a fundamental role in defining shapes. Ressu uses a bright, but controlled, chromatic, avoiding dramatic effects or violent contrasts. Light shapes the body of the female character through smooth transitions from illuminated to shadowed areas, contributing to the impression of solidity and stability, where the volumes gain consistency, and the human figure asserts itself with force and balance in the compositional space. (S.S).

References

COSMA, Gaston Gh., Camil Ressu, Meridiane Publishing House, Bucharest, 1967. ENESCU, Theodor, Camil Ressu, Romanian Academy Publishing House, Bucharest, 1958. ENESCU, Theodor, C. Ressu, Meridiane Publishing House, Bucharest, 1984.

Dimensions

width 51 cm, height 70.5 cm

Description

oil on cardboard, signed bottom left, in black, "C. Ressu"

Dating

anii '30

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