Artwork

Portul Constanța

Portul Constanța, by Alexandru Ciucurencu, unspecified, 1960
Portul Constanța, by Alexandru Ciucurencu, unspecified, 1960

Portul Constanța is an unspecified painting by Alexandru Ciucurencu. It dates from 1960 and is held in the collection of the Art Museum of Constanta.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1960, "Portul Constanța" is an oil painting by Romanian artist Alexandru Ciucurencu. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed among other representations of the country's industrial and maritime heritage.

Subject & Meaning

The canvas depicts a deteriorating harbor scene: sagging roofs, crumbling walls, and a partially submerged vessel dominate the foreground, while rusted cranes and skeletal industrial structures loom in the distance. The muted palette and desolate architecture convey a sense of neglect, suggesting the decline of a once‑busy port.

Technique & Style

Ciucurencu employs rough, gestural brushwork that emphasizes texture and grit. Broad, uneven strokes render the weathered surfaces of buildings and metal, while the limited chromatic range of grays, browns, and muted greens reinforces the atmosphere of decay.

History & Provenance

Since its completion, the painting has remained in public ownership, entering the Museum of Ethnography's holdings shortly after its creation. It has been referenced in exhibitions focusing on mid‑20th‑century Romanian landscape and industrial art, illustrating the artist's engagement with urban and maritime subjects.

Artist & collection

Artist

Alexandru Ciucurencu

Alexandru Ciucurencu painted scenes from everyday life and the human body in the mid-20th century.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Art Museum of Constanta open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.