219. Painting Time [1983]

Regarded as one of the most important Romanian Surrealist painters, in 1927 he studied under Ion Theodorescu, which he soon abandoned in favor of the Free Painting Academy led by the painter Constantin Vlădescu. He came into contact with avant-garde groups, and in 1930 arrived in Paris where he met Arthur Adamov, Victor Brauner, Salvador Dalí, and André Breton, active members of the group of Surrealist artists. After World War II, he managed to host his first solo exhibition in 1947, where he was able to display many of his works. Starting from the 1960s and leading up to the later years of his creation, Herold was preoccupied with plant life, the dialogue between realms, and metamorphosis, all of which he captured in various compositions. Among these, the motif of the flower, depicted in various shapes, colors and sizes, is frequently encountered. Thus, the symbolism of the flower in the avant-garde style can represent natural beauty, association with the female body, sensuality and transformation, but also fleeting life and the mystical and hidden symbols of nature. At the same time, the Surrealists, influenced by Freud's psychoanalysis, believed that flowers can also represent channels towards the unconscious, being presented in unnatural contexts, thus defying logic and creating a sense of dreaming and mystery. In addition, many other themes and works of his are puzzling, with exotic titles, without a very clear meaning, humorous, fantastical, or unexpected, some examples being: "Fleur de peau" (1966), L’ Embellie” (1965), "Le Hippie" (1971), or "Pigments" (1970). Regarding the artwork in question, it is part of the 1960s period when he began to create such works, with flowers, landscapes and the attention paid to them from the point of view of color, pigment, variety or their way of production. The scene focuses on the observation of a flower, with increased attention to the details of its stem, petals, pistil, and its flowers. The way he executed the work, it allows us to seemingly observe how it is done from the inside, how it is sectioned and how we can penetrate inside it for a better look. Regardless of the way he produces his works and his style, Jacques Herold remains a remarkable figure, with special talent in choosing and combining the surreal themes he proposes.

References

Catalogul Expoziției „Jaques Hérold. De la Suprarealism la abstracționism liric”, Colors Art Gallery, București, 12 mai - 2 iunie 2011.

Dimensions

width 60.5 cm, height 82 cm

Description

ulei pe pânză, signed bottom right, in black, "Herold"

Dating

1983

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