56. At the Beach [sfârșitul anilor '20]

"The people painted by Ștefan Dimitrescu are not handsome, beautiful, shining. They are bold, vigorous, monumental. They are steeled individuals, for whom life means struggle. They are authentic people, true." the art historian Ionel Jianu would note. His creation will convey, therefore, a realistic painting, where the artist does not hesitate to render bodies touched by the sun or marked by work. In portraits, Ștefan Dimitrescu focuses more on deciphering the complexity of his protagonists' inner turmoil, giving them neutral or sometimes meditative expressions. The portrait also allows him to excel as a draftsman. The sketched characters blend harmoniously with the artist's color choices, and his musical endeavors are transcribed into harmonious chromatic rhythms, with strong accents, in clear contrasts. Through color, Dimitrescu highlights both shadow and light, as well as shape and modelling. He also pays special attention to the clothing of his characters and the accessories they receive. His concern for social themes and his undeniable interest in human psychology are noted in genre scenes or portraits, as well as in landscape. During his studies in Paris, the sap of Cézanne's creation would settle on the canvas of the Romanian painter, whose predilection for rigorous plasticity was undeniable. The connections he makes throughout his life convince Dimitrescu to paint the portraits of several of his acquaintances. He will depict his closest friends in his oil paintings, as is the case with the Tonitza family (parents or children) or the Teodoreanu family, with writers M. Sadoveanu, G. Ibrăileanu, M. Sorbul or Jean Bart. However, the dearest will be the portraits dedicated to his own family. We often discover his wife, Maria Lebădă, and his daughter, Margareta Dimitrescu, nicknamed "Mărgica" by her father, but the figure of his son will also be omnipresent. The artist creates an entire series dedicated to the Tatars from Mangalia, Techirghiol, or Balchik, to the seascapes and streets of Dobruja. We will therefore see that his work is abundant in compositions made at the beach, in the sunlight, which predominantly have shades of blue, browns, and reds variations."

References

JIANU, Ionel, "Ștefan Dimitrescu", State Publishing House for Literature and Art, Bucharest, 1954. PARADAIS, Claudiu, "Șt. Dimitrescu", Meridiane Publishing House, Bucharest, 1978.

Dimensions

width 30.5 cm, height 40 cm

Description

ulei pe carton, signed bottom left, in orange, "St. Dimitrescu"

Dating

sfârșitul anilor '20

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