Bucharest 2 - Art

Bucharest is not a world famous art museum destination, but we did spend a rewarding day in the Romanian National Gallery with our friends David and Sylvia, who are also here for the festival.  The museum is divided into two wings, one for Romanian art and one for European Art.   The Romanian one was by far the most interesting for me, especially for the collection of Medieval Art.   There were lots of icons.   (Romania's main religion is traditional Orthodox christianity, following the historical and geographical connection from Greece through to Russia.)   As usual, I was fascinated by the off the beaten path ways of representation, and the ways in which some of the art seemed to reflect a relationship with the traditional peasant designs.

Here are a few highlights and fragments:

This robe reminded me of expressionist woodcuts:

There were also tapestries:

And these astute students of a beautifully carved wooden iconostasis.  (Although their elbows give a good indication of what they are doing....

In fact, it appears that Vera dressed in geometric patterns to complement the icons

The collection also includes a large collection of Romanian painting from the 19th century to the mid 20th century.   While there are very few outstanding works, it's alway interesting to see how regional artists incorporate styles of painters from elsewhere.   So you see something that looks Matisse-like, etc.  

The major attraction for me was these three early paintings by Victor Brauner.   These paintings were actually hidden in Vera's basement for a period of time when the possession of such paintings would have been dangerous under the regime of the Communists.  Most of Brauner's works are found outside of Romania, as he left for Paris at an early age.

The European wing is mostly paintings that were in the collection of King Carol, with some excellent El Grecos and Rembrandts among them.

A detail of El Greco's brushwork:

And the occasionally oddity, like this trompe l'ceil frame;

The Museum is in the old Royal Palace, and parts have some interesting architectural details.