39. On the Bank of the Nile [anii '30]

In 1899, he enrolled in the School of Fine Arts in Bucharest, where he was admitted first out of a total of 19 competitors and will audit the courses of George Demetrescu Mirea, Ipolit Strâmbu and Dimitrie Serafim. He will graduate in 1906 under the auspices of the distinction and award offered by the Bucharest educational unit. He will simultaneously study in the singing section of the Conservatory, but will focus mainly on painting studies and will not graduate from the Conservatory as well. He will be a member of the Artistic Youth Society, where he will frequently exhibit, but also the founder of the Fine Arts Union, alongside other artists of the time such as Adam Bălțatu, Paul Molda or Lucian Grigorescu. With his professor Jean Paul Laurens and colleagues in Paris, Biju will undertake journeys in Morocco and Algeria, trips that will transpose themselves through vast influences in his canvases. Eager to discover the oriental space, he will also travel to Egypt, where, fascinated by the richness of the natural environment, he will stay for four years. Here he discovers a rich nature, varied human types, surprising architectural remains and overflowing sunny landscapes. He stops on the banks of the Nile, in Cairo, Aswan or Luxor and often directs his attention towards the representation of female types. He will be fascinated by the beauty of the Nile, which reflects the clear sky, by the protagonists covered in black veils, caught standing or sitting down. He will be interested in the contrasts between the dark clothes of the female characters and the predominantly white clothes of his male models. In addition to the richness of nature and clothing details, Biju will often introduce architectural elements such as stone houses or the fascinating Egyptian pyramids in his works. Works made during the previously mentioned period will be presented to the public at the exhibition "Biju. Egypt"; an exhibition organized in February 1934 at the Dalles Hall in Bucharest. The artist will present here 146 paintings and 100 drawings and will enjoy the appreciation of critics and the public.

References

OCTAVIAN, Tudor, "Forgotten Romanian Painters", Noi Media Print Publishing, Bucharest, 2003. BADEA-PĂUN, Gabriel, "Romanian Painters in France", Noi Media Print Publishing, Bucharest, 2012.

Dimensions

width 61 cm, height 51 cm

Description

oil on cardboard, signed bottom right, in red, "L.A. Biju"

Dating

anii '30

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