Artwork
Sensibilitate nouă III
Sensibilitate nouă III is a print by Horia Bernea. It dates from 1969 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Art of Romania.
About this work
Overview
Sensibilitate nouă III is a 1969 image by Romanian artist Horia Bernea. Executed as a print, the composition is dominated by a luminous yellow field punctuated by large, irregular red forms. The work bears the artist’s handwritten title in the lower corner, rendered in a loose, uneven hand that mirrors the overall gestural quality of the piece.
Subject & Meaning
The red masses suggest ambiguous human elements—perhaps faces or hands—yet their indeterminate outlines resist a single interpretation. The surrounding yellow surface emits a glow that can be read as an emotional or sensory backdrop, inviting viewers to consider the tension between presence and abstraction within the title’s suggestion of new sensitivity.
Technique & Style
Bernea employs a scribble-like line work, with wavy, imprecise strokes that give the print a raw, spontaneous feel. Small black marks resembling tiny crosses or architectural silhouettes punctuate the composition, adding texture. The uneven edges and rough handling of the medium emphasize a deliberate departure from polished finish toward an expressive, almost tactile surface.
History & Provenance
Created in the late 1960s, Sensibilitate nouă III belongs to a period when Bernea explored graphic experimentation alongside his broader artistic practice. The work has been documented in catalogues of his oeuvre and remains part of collections that trace the evolution of Romanian avant‑garde printmaking during that era.
Context
The piece emerges from a time of significant cultural shift in Romania, when artists were negotiating personal expression within a constrained political climate. Bernea’s use of vivid color and gestural marks aligns with contemporary international trends toward abstraction, while retaining a distinct, locally resonant visual language.
Legacy
Sensibilitate nouă III illustrates Bernea’s contribution to expanding the visual vocabulary of Romanian art in the 20th century. Its emphasis on raw line work and ambiguous symbolism continues to inform discussions of post‑war Eastern European printmaking and the artist’s lasting influence on subsequent generations.
Artist & collection
Artist
This Romanian printmaker’s stark, mid-century works mix bold shapes and text in black-and-white, blending graphic punch with quiet mood.
