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51. Watermelon and Playing Cards [cca. 1880-1885]

Theodor Aman

1831, Câmpulung Muscel, Argeş - 1891, Bucureşti

Estimate

EUR 100.000 - 200.000

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Session

Thu, 18 June 2026 19:00

Constantly evolving, Theodor Aman managed to create an unmistakable style, going through several stages of creation, which were to reveal the nature of a versatile artist. The "first modern Romanian artist," as critics have described him, Aman managed to integrate into the vast Western art, the indigenous artistic nucleus. Theodor Aman will shape in his paintings a story that generates emotions, sculpting ephemeral moments over time. Thus, going through several artistic stages during his activity, Aman sought inner depth in each landscape, portrait or still life he made. The artist often approached still lifes, predominately distinguished through his compositions with flowers and fruits. All still lifes signed by Theodor Aman are characterized by meticulous technique, but also by truthful reporting to the model. Aman gave this pictorial genre special attention, working on a whole series of works during the 1870-1880 period, among which are works such as "Grapes and Apples", "Basket with strawberries", "Cherries". In the early stages, Theodor Aman betrayed the desire to discover the complete object, without outlining a broad story, which would exceed the frame of materiality. In the second stage dedicated to still lifes, the artist began to add other objects to the center of interest, aiming to metamorphose the compositional exercise into a more detailed narrative. Thus, after understanding materiality and introducing the message in the painting's reading, Aman adds reflections and concrete light meetings, to which he also adds the play of reflection in the compositional space. This work, "Melon and Playing Cards," stands out for its technical accuracy and visual perception, but also for building a palpable narrative thread at the level of the work. Aman, in this work, refers to the theme of vanitas, including in its still nature elements of life's ephemerality and death's eternality. The King of clubs, depicting Alexander the Great, reinforces the idea of the passage of time, referring to the Latin expression "vanitas vanitatum, omnia vanitas". With the help of the other elements, we can guess the heat of a summer day, looking at the sun in the clarity of the water's eye resting on the table. Thus, through the presence of the mirror which is reflected in the glass, Aman captured the interdependence between macrocosm and microcosm. The melon is the nucleus of the work, both through its symbolic transience, but also through the vibrant colors chosen. The artist also added the remnants of a deck of cards, which seems to be suspended in time, waiting for players. All the objects depicted on the canvas appear to be facets of everyday reality, to which Aman added his own way of capturing light and rendering shadow. Using a palette that abounds in shades of red, brown and green, Theodor Aman portrayed the naturalism of the fruit, half-cut, which stands open to the viewer like a recurring invitation to participate in the endless cycle of life.

References

IONESCU, Adrian-Silvan, "Centenar. Theodor Aman", Venus Publishing House Bucharest, 1991 ȘUTEU, Greta, "Aman - The Painter", Publishing house of the Bucharest City Museum, 2017

Dimensions

width 90 cm, height 61 cm

Description

oil on canvas, signed bottom left, in black, "Th. Aman"

Research information

The artwork is reproduced in "Centenary Theodor Aman", Venus Publishing House, Bucharest, 1991, cat. no. 255, under the title "Still Life with Melons". The artwork is reproduced in "Theodor Aman", Radu Bogdan, State Publishing House for Literature and Art, cat. no. XLIV, under the title "Still Life with Watermelon". A variant of the artwork is reproduced in "Aman - The Painter. The painting repertoire of the Theodor Aman Museum", Greta Suteu, Museum of Bucharest, 2017, cat. no. 95, under the title "Red Melon".

Lot.notes

On the reverse, authenticated by Eustațiu Stoenescu, "Original by Aman, E. Stoenescu"

Dating

cca. 1880-1885

PROVENANCE

Ritta Boemm's collection

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.

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