85. Metropolitan Bishop Nifon, Primacy in Ungro-Wallachia [1872]

Because of the social and political context present until the 19th Century, plastic arts had an anachronic position both in Moldavia and Wallachia. One can speak about art only within a religious frame, and portraits, should they exist, they exclusively depict various church founders or donors, and they do not seek to illustrate their resemblance, but to express the religiosity, and most of the times, the social position of the respective characters. Tattarescu's work can be considered one of the key points of reference regarding the academic nature and rigour describing Wallachian classical art. Gheorghe Tattarescu favours the model and emphasizes the character's authority by using colour and light, in order to place a focus on the stern facial expression. The statuary presence is a proof of religious devotion, and the blessing gesture symbolizes the Greek language abbreviation of the name of Jesus Christ. The Metropolitan Bishop holds a sceptre containing, in its upper part, the heads of two snakes looking at each other and having a cross between them. Snakes symbolize pastoral wisdom, and the cross indicates the fact that the high-rank clergyman has the authority to guide the proverbial sheep in the name of Christ. Initiated in the art of painting by his uncle, Nicolae Teodorescu (1786 / 1797-1880), founder of the School of Painters in Buzău, the young Tattarescu was bound to make a prolific artistic journey. After graduating from the School of Painting (1831-1837), he would attend the courses of Academia di San Luca ("Academy of Saint Luke") (1845-1851), also taking private lessons with painter Natale Carta. The first church painted by Tattarescu in Bucharest was precisely the Oțetari Church, where Metropolitan Bishop Nifon was christened. Nowadays, we can find the Metropolitan Bishop's portrait painted in the pronaos. Nifon Rusailă had a major role in the Union of the Romanian Principalities in 1859, and he also occupied the position of Metropolitan Bishop of Ungro-Wallachia (1850-1865), and afterwards the position of Prime Metropolitan Bishop of Romania (1865-1875). Metropolitan Bishop Nifon was President of the Bucharest Ad-hoc Council on the 29th of September 1857 and of the Committee that elected Alexandru Ioan Cuza as a ruler, on the 24th of January 1859. In 1864, the Romanian Senate is established, and Metropolitan Bishop Nifon becomes the first President of the Senate. During Nifon's priesthood, Alexandru Ioan Cuza's famous church reforms were established (the secularization of convent properties, the Sinod Law, the Law for Metropolitan and Diocesan Bishops' appointment). In 1865, he is appointed Prime Metropolitan Bishop of Romania.

Dimensions

width 81 cm, height 101.5 cm, custom 101,5 × 81 cm

Description

oil on canvas, signed and dated left side, with ochre, "Tattarescu, 1872"; noted upper left, with ochre, "Nifon Mitropolit Ungro-Vlachiei ales în 14 Septemb(rie) 1850, Primat al României"

Research information

The artwork participated in the exhibition "Capodopere ale artei românești, între academism și modernism", Bucharest, Grimberg Gallery, September 25 – October 25, 2013, and is reproduced in the exhibition catalogue at p. 14-15.

Dating

1872

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