Arborele genealogic al pictorilor din familia Poienaru

The artist employed flat, even brushwork and restrained color to create a clean, graphic composition. Floral vines and leaf motifs connect the genealogical nodes, replacing conventional lines with organic, decorative elements. The style blends folk ornamentation with schematic design, prioritizing visual rhythm over realism. Text is carefully placed within uniform boxes, ensuring legibility without disrupting the overall pattern.

The work was completed in 1988 and entered the collection of the Museum of Ethnography shortly thereafter. Its preservation in this institution reflects its cultural value as a domestic artifact transformed into a public record. No prior exhibitions or ownership history beyond the artist’s family are documented, suggesting it was conceived as a private project later recognized for its ethnographic significance.

Made during the final years of communist Romania, the piece quietly resists official narratives by centering familial, rather than political, identity. In a climate where state-sanctioned art dominated public spaces, this intimate, handcrafted genealogy offered an alternative form of cultural memory—rooted in craft, tradition, and personal history rather than ideology.

The work remains a rare example of a female artist documenting her own artistic lineage in a male-dominated field. Its presence in a national ethnographic museum underscores its role as a cultural artifact that bridges private heritage and public history. It continues to invite reflection on how artistic identity is preserved beyond formal training or public recognition.