27. Simple Joys [1904]

Grigore Romano was born in Tecuci in 1868, but his passion and determination led him through Iași, Tulcea, he even studied in Florence; then he successively returned to Turnu Măgurele, Brăila, and finally settled in Craiova. He thus graduated from high school in Iași, and later was admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. After working in several towns in the southern part of the country, in 1907 he settled in Craiova, where he worked as a decorator painter at the National Theatre. At the same time, he was very active and exhibited a lot. March 1908 marked the opening of his personal exhibition at the Jockey Club, and in the same year, the editorial office of the newspaper "Doljiul" hosted another exhibition by Grigore Romano. In 1909 the artist assumes the role of critic and speaker who holds lectures on art. In addition to easel painting, Grigore Romano will also practice church painting, working in several places of worship in Oltenia. The nephew of Captain Romano, the first officer to fall in battle during the War of Independence; surrounded by artists such as G.D. Mirea, C. Artachino or C. Petrescu; close to Take Ionescu, the artist will definitely affirm himself in the epoch. His children, Alexandru Romano and Coca Romano also followed their father's path towards art. This work, representative of the first decade of the last century, resumes one of the artist's favourite themes: static nature. We will see that Grigore Romano fully assumes the close study of daily use elements and deliberately gives them the status of pictorial motif. The wine bottle, the fine cheeses and the apple pots recurrently appear in the artist's creation from this period. Treated in an academic manner, the work becomes an exponent for the teachings Grigore Romano acquired abroad in the late 19th century.

Dimensions

width 60 cm, height 44.5 cm

Description

oil on canvas, signed and dated, top left, in black, "Gr. Romano, 1904"

Dating

1904

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