Artwork
Portret de bărbat/ Scenă cu personaje (verso)
Portret de bărbat/ Scenă cu personaje (verso) is an unspecified painting by Tibor Boromisza. It dates from 20 and is held in the collection of the Baia Mare Artistic Centre County Art Museum.
About this work
Overview
Tibor Boromisza’s double‑sided panel, titled *Portret de bărbat/ Scenă cu personaje (verso)*, dates from the early 1920s and is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work presents a single figure rendered in a vigorous, textured manner that dominates the visual field.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a man whose mouth is opened wide, suggesting a shout, laugh, or exclamation. A stark black mustache and a glimpse of a white collar emerge from beneath his chin, while his facial features appear loose and expressive, inviting viewers to contemplate a moment of heightened emotion.
Technique & Style
Boromisza employs a heavy impasto application, laying thick, uneven strokes of bright yellow, pink, and purple across the face. The paint is applied with a forceful, almost slap‑on quality, leaving a tactile surface that emphasizes the raw, energetic character of the portrait. The dark, indistinct background recedes, keeping attention on the textured visage.
History & Provenance
Created around 1920, the panel entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings through acquisition (specific details of purchase or donation are not recorded). Its presence in the museum situates the work within a broader collection of early twentieth‑century ethnographic and artistic artifacts.
Context
The piece reflects broader modernist tendencies of the 1920s, when artists explored expressive brushwork and vivid color palettes to convey psychological states. Boromisza’s use of impasto aligns with contemporary experiments in texture and materiality, echoing similar approaches in European avant‑garde painting.
Legacy
While not widely reproduced, the work exemplifies Boromisza’s commitment to a tactile, emotive visual language. Its preservation in a public institution ensures continued study of the artist’s contribution to early twentieth‑century Romanian art and the ongoing relevance of impasto techniques.
Artist & collection
Artist
Tibor Boromisza made prints and paintings of everyday scenes in early 20th-century Romania.
Museum
Baia Mare Artistic Centre County Art Museum
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