155. Jockeys

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155. Jockeys

Ştefan Luchian

1868, Ştefăneşti - 1916, Bucureşti

Estimate:

EUR 8.000 - 14.000

Sold

EUR 9.000

References

DRĂGUŢ , Vasile, „Luchian”, Ed. Meridiane, Bucureşti, 1968 ENESCU, Theodor, ”Ştefan Luchian şi spiritualul modern în pictura românească”, Ed. Meridiane, Bucureşti, 2000 ENESCU, Theodor, „Ştefan Luchian: Pictură. Pastel. Acuarelă. Desen”, Institutul Cultural Român, Bucureşti, 2007 JIANU, Ionel, „Luchian”, Ed. Căminul Artei, Bucureşti, 1947 LASSAIGNE, Jacques, „Ştefan Luchian”, Ed. Meridiane, Bucureşti, 1972

pastel on paper, 19 x 25 cm, 25x19, signed lower right, in brown, "Lukian"

Inaugurated during the years spent in Paris (1891-1893), the equine theme of Ștefan Luchian would only record one oil painting, known as “Last Autumn Race”, most likely painted by the artist during the autumn of 1892 in Paris. Today, at the National Museum of Art of Romania, this work, painted under the influence of impressionists (Manet and Degas painted stills of famous Paris races in Bois de Boulogne in the 1870s), is the hub of interest of this theme and, even if it remains the only known oil, it initiates a small cycle of equine drawings and pastels continuing for a few years until after the 1900s. Luchian, known as an “extreme” sport enthusiast in the late 19th century, appears to have also continued his passion after returning to the country, where, aside from cycling and carriage races, which he practiced as an amateur, he appears to have owned a horse, a very likely fact for one of the most “dandy” representatives of 19th century Bucharest. The series of 4-6 drawings, pastels and watercolour paintings that focus on the horse racing theme appears to continue until 1908, when the famous Bucharest race track of Băneasa was inaugurated. However, in 1893-1900, when these sketches and pastels were painted by Luchian, horse racing appears to have existed in an amateur version, as shown by the painter’s interest for the subject. Most probably, the races watched by the inhabitants of Bucharest, including by Luchian, were held on the Cotroceni plateau, where the first race track appears to have been opened in the capital.

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