Gheorghe Tattarescu (; October 1818 – October 24, 1894) was a

Moldavia Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and for ...

n, later

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...

n painter and a pioneer of neoclassicism in his country's modern painting.

Biography

Early life and studies

Tattarescu was born in Focşani in 1818. He began as an apprentice to his uncle Nicolae Teodorescu, a church painter. He studied at the Painting School from

Buzău The city of Buzău (formerly spelled ''Buzeu'' or ''Buzĕu''; ) is the county seat of Buzău County, Romania, in the historical region of Muntenia. It lies near the right bank of the Buzău River, between the south-eastern curvature of the Carp ...

, when Teodorescu moved there. The Orthodox Bishop of Buzău,

Chesarie Căpățână Chesarie Căpățână (born Constantin Căpățână; 1784–November 30, 1846) was a Wallachian bishop. Biography Origins and ascension Born in Bucharest to a poor couple, Efrem Cavafu and his wife Dragna, he attended the Greek school at D ...

, helped him obtain a

scholarship A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need. Scholars ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, where he was taught by professors from the

Accademia di San Luca The Accademia di San Luca (the "Academy of Saint Luke") is an Italian academy of artists in Rome. The establishment of the Accademia de i Pittori e Scultori di Roma was approved by papal brief in 1577, and in 1593 Federico Zuccari became its fi ...

. While there, Tattarescu made copies of paintings by

Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...

, Bartolomé Estéban Murillo, Salvatore Rosa, and Guido Reni.

Political activities

Tattarescu was a participant in the

1848 Revolution The Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Springtime of the Peoples or the Springtime of Nations, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe starting in 1848. It remains the most widespread revolutionary wave in Europe ...

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ro, Țara Românească, lit=The Romanian Land' or 'The Romanian Country, ; archaic: ', Romanian Cyrillic alphabet: ) is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and s ...

. After the revolution, he painted portraits of Romanian revolutionaries in exile such as

Gheorghe Magheru General Gheorghe Magheru (; 1802, Bârzeiul de Gilort, Gorj County – 23 March 1880) was a Romanian revolutionary and soldier from Wallachia, and political ally of Nicolae Bălcescu. A Pandur and radical conspirator Magheru began his ...

, Ştefan Golescu, and, in 1851, that of Nicolae Bălcescu (in three almost identical versions).

Romantic nationalist Romantic nationalism (also national romanticism, organic nationalism, identity nationalism) is the form of nationalism in which the state claims its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs. This includes ...

ideals were the inspiration for his allegorical compositions with revolutionary themes in ''Romania's rebirth'' (1849), the patriotic ''Principalities' Unification'' (1857) and ''February 11 - The Modern Romania'' (1866).Voinescu, p. 46-47

Later life and legacy

In 1860, being commissioned to draw up a ''National Album'' of sights and historical monuments of the country, his talent of painting vaguely Romantic landscapes became highly valued. At the same time, showing his sympathy with various peasant uprisings, he painted ''The peasant at the

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...

'' in 1875. He was also commissioned to decorate several churches in a neoclassical manner. In 1864, together with painter

Theodor Aman Theodor Aman (20 March 1831 – 19 August 1891) was a Romanian painter, engraver and art professor. He mostly produced genre and history scenes. Biography His father was a cavalry commander from Craiova but he was born in Câmpulung, where his f ...

, Tattarescu founded the National School of Fine Arts in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

. He was a professor there for a long time after, and served as the School's Director for two years (1891–1892). In 1865, he wrote ''Useful Principles and Studies on Proportions of the Human Body and Drawing after the Most Famous Painters''. Tattarescu died in Bucharest. The house he bought in 1855 and lived in for almost 40 years is now home to the ''Gheorghe Tattarescu Memorial Museum''. It was opened 1951, and hosts several of his original works of art.

Gallery

''Click on an image to view it enlarged.'' Image:Gheorghe Tattarescu - Monah batran.jpg, ''Old monk'' Image:Gheorghe Tattarescu - Sotia pictorului cu fiul.jpg, ''Painter's wife and his son'' Image:Gheorghe Tattarescu - Pelerin.jpg, ''Pilgrim'' Image:Gheorghe Tattarescu - Ion Gradisteanu.jpg, ''Portrait of Ion Grădişteanu'' Image:Gheorghe Tattarescu - Maria Gradisteanu.jpg, ''Portrait of Maria Grădişteanu'' Image:Gheorghe Tattarescu - Peisaj din Italia.jpg, ''Landscape from Italy'' Image:Gheorghe Tattarescu - Pestera Dambovicioara.jpg, ''Dâmbovicioara cave''

Notes

References

* Voinescu, Teodora, ''Gheorghe Tattarescu 1818-1894'', Ed. Academiei Romane, 1940.

External links

*
Biography at artnet.com

Biography at maroumanie.com

Biography at compendium.ro
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tattarescu, Gheorghe 1818 births 1894 deaths Romanian romantic painters Romanian Neoclassical painters People from Focșani People of the Revolutions of 1848 Bucharest National University of Arts faculty Romanian art critics Romanian essayists Romanian muralists Members of the Romanian Orthodox Church Burials at Bellu Cemetery 19th-century journalists Male journalists 19th-century Romanian painters Male essayists 19th-century male writers 19th-century essayists