54. Still Life with Pears [1925-1927]

Nicolae Tonitza

1886, Bârlad - 1940, Bucureşti

Estimate

EUR 15.000 - 25.000

Sold

EUR 23.500

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Session

Tue, 22 October 2024 19:00

“Even in his usual still lifes, Tonitza undertakes much more than a simple chromatic analysis of compositionally organized elements. "When you reproduce nature - you are its slave. When you represent it - you dominate it", the artist declared. The sap of his inspiration could be identified from working amidst nature. In Vălenii de Munte, he had a vegetable garden near the house and a plum orchard that served as a memorable playground for children. Study expeditions organized with his students to Durău, were also efficient in taking on themes that were to bear fruit later. The present work, authenticated on the verso by the painter Jean Alexandru Steriadi, presents a still life in which the fruits are strung in a contrasting chromatic succession. The artist bets on high tonalities that open gently from strong shades of yellow and red. Placed on the white towel, the fruits here add up to a comprehensive chromatic exercise, starting from ruby red and solar yellow and proceeding to the wide expanse of white that bears the weight of the fruit on it. The charm of light inserts into the pigment of fruits, the compositional symmetry, the effects of spatiality, and the balance that the work exudes contribute to the triumphant treatment of the genre by the artist. He approaches still life rather rarely, so we find a limited number of works of this kind in his creation. Some of them have been included over time in reputable collections (Iosif Dona or Maria Avramescu), and others have participated in major artistic events dedicated to the painter. "Still life with jug and apples", displayed at his retrospective in 1964, treats a similar subject with a striking color palette akin to the present one. We note another "Still Life with Apples and Pipe" as well as other works where traditional ceramic vessels, vegetables or fruits are linked onto the surface of the canvas or the cardboard. We more often identify vases with flowers or floral panels, making still lifes similar to the present one rather singular appearances.”

References

ŞORBAN, Raoul, "Nicolae Tonitza", Meridiane Publishing House, Bucharest, 1965.

Dimensions

width 40 cm, height 30 cm

Description

ulei pe pânză, signed bottom right, in brown, "Tonitza"

Lot.notes

On the back, authentication: ""Still Life" authentic oil painting on canvas by Tonitza. J. Al. Steriadi".

Dating

1925-1927

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