130. Totem on a green background

Taking the ancient folklore and the stylistics of Romanian folk art as his reference points, Ion Țuculescu became from the 1930s onwards a participant in the great movements of universal plastic creation. The first creative stage will be dedicated to the Romanian folk art, which will lure him by the proposed modernity, by the specific procedures of geometrization and by the colouring of an impressive decorativeness and vitality. In this first period, we see the emergence of a distinct element, the totem - an element that will produce a real intensification of the plastic language, as well as the structure of the image - favouring by its presence a new organization of the visual, now based on new principles of synthesis. In addition to the totem, which will persist in his works until the end of his creation, other secondary signs will appear, such as the circle, the triangle, the spiral, the commas - which will animate the visual matter and organize the image. Identifying themselves as formative patterns, the signs will manifest themselves in the form of outbursts of gesture and colour, combinations of forces and pulsations, transcending broad meanings in their trajectory. Subject in turn to a process of simplification, chromatics will also be revolutionary, seeking to bring out through the well-known accords of red/green, yellow/purple, blue/orange and black/white, the most intense forces of the probable or possible forms. (G.M.)

References

Vlasiu Ion, „Ion Țuculescu”, Ed. Meridiane, București, 1966. Davidescu Cătălin, „Țuculescu”, Ed. Scrisul Românesc, București, 1988. Catalogul Expoziției Retrospective „Ion Țuculescu”, Ed. Muzeului Național de Artă al României, București, 1999.

Dimensions

width 47 cm, height 70 cm, custom 70 × 47 cm

Description

oil on cardboard, signed bottom right, with black, TUC

Research information

The artwork was included in the "Ion Țuculescu" Retrospective Exhibition, February - May 1999, at cat. 266, under the title "Totem on a green background". Another work is reproduced on the back, showing a character in a landscape.

PROVENANCE

Țuculescu Family Collection.

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