Who painted Păcală?

Păcală was painted by Nicolae Apostol in 1950.

Where can I see Păcală?

Păcală is held by Gavrila Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea.

Artwork

Păcală

Nicolae Apostol , 1950

Păcală is a drawing by Nicolae Apostol. 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, Păcală is an artwork by Romanian artist Nicolae Apostol that now belongs to the Museum of Ethnography’s collection.

Created around 1950, Păcală is an artwork by Romanian artist Nicolae Apostol that now belongs to the Museum of Ethnography’s collection. The piece consists of a fragment of yellowed paper bearing handwritten pencil notes, occasional stamps, and torn edges that convey the materiality of an aged document. The visual focus rests on the interplay of text, marks, and the paper’s wear, suggesting a narrative embedded within the surface.

Subject & Meaning

The work presents a sheet of paper that appears to have served a documentary function, its pencil inscriptions possibly indicating a title or author’s signature in the upper left corner. The presence of a small, partially illegible stamp in the lower left hints at official or bureaucratic usage. By foregrounding these mundane marks, Apostol invites contemplation of everyday records as carriers of personal or cultural memory.

Technique & Style

Apostol employs a straightforward, observational approach, allowing the paper’s natural discoloration, tears, and texture to dominate the composition. The pencil script is rendered in a simple, utilitarian hand, while the stamp’s impression adds a faint, embossed quality. The absence of overt artistic embellishment emphasizes authenticity, positioning the work within a documentary aesthetic that blurs the line between art object and historical artifact.

History & Provenance

The piece entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings sometime after its creation in the early 1950s, though precise acquisition details remain undocumented. Its preservation within an ethnographic context underscores the museum’s interest in material culture and the ways written records reflect social practices. The work’s continued display highlights its role as a tangible link to mid‑twentieth‑century Romanian documentary traditions.