27. Obstacle Course Race

Although he is a professional military officer, thanks to the perseverance of the self-taught learner, he would acquire the necessary knowledge to execute truly remarkable sculptures. His work is divided between busts dedicated to the Royal Family and sculptures rendering animal figures. Corneliu Cristescu's activity evolved across a short time frame, therefore he left behind a limited collection of sculptures. His uninterrupted study would endow him with a remarkable sense of detail and a thorough understanding of the anatomy of the animals he sculpts. The horse in particular would become the central motif of his creation. Most of all, he captures the mammal whilst in movement: either galloping or overcoming an obstacle in a race. Cristescu offers the horse an endless range of qualities: the animal sculpted by the artist oozes strength, freedom, courage or nobleness. The horse becomes the recurring motif through which the artist reiterates his own conceptions on life. This way, he sculpts more than just the anatomic details - he sculpts the power to endure, the fight for independence or an immutable self-confidence.

References

DEAC, Mircea, "50 de ani de sculptură", Bucharest, 2000. Dictionary of Romanian Sculptors, 19th-20th centuries, Vol. I, letters A-G, Publishing House of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, 2011.

Dimensions

depth 17 cm, width 39 cm, height 47 cm, custom 47 × 39 × 17 cm

Description

bronze, signed left side, on the base, "Cristesco"

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