Artwork
Mi-am făcut autocritica
Mi-am făcut autocritica is a drawing by Poch Albert. It dates from 1950 and is held in the collection of the Gavrila Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1950 by Romanian artist Poch Albert, *Mi‑am făcut autocritica* is an image in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work presents a pair of stylised grey elephants set against a vivid green field, their trunks raised as if in applause.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features two elephants with rounded heads, large eyes and modest tusks, their expressions light‑hearted and slightly caricatured. The Romanian title, translating to “I have made my self‑criticism,” suggests a humorous self‑reflection, inviting viewers to read the scene as a playful commentary on the artist’s own practice.
Technique & Style
Albert employs a simplified, graphic approach, reducing the animals to basic geometric forms. The background is rendered with quick, scratchy strokes that evoke grass or brushwork, while cross‑hatching adds texture to the elephants’ bodies, creating a contrast between flat colour and line‑based shading.
History & Provenance
The piece entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings shortly after its creation, though exact acquisition details are undocumented. Its mid‑20th‑century origin places it within a period of Romanian art that explored folk motifs through modernist abstraction.
Context
During the early 1950s, Romanian artists often navigated state‑imposed expectations while seeking personal expression. Albert’s choice of elephants—a non‑indigenous subject rendered in a whimsical manner—reflects a subtle deviation from official themes, aligning with broader trends of satire and self‑examination in the era’s visual culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Poch Albert left behind a small group of drawings and one sculpture made during Romania’s communist years.
Museum
Gavrila Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea
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