Artwork
Tătăroaice la Balcic
Tătăroaice la Balcic is an unspecified painting by Petre Iorgulescu-Yor. It dates from 1924 and is held in the collection of the Art Museum of Constanta.
About this work
Overview
Petre Iorgulescu‑Yor’s *Tătăroaice la Balcic* (c. 1924) is an oil painting in the Museum of Ethnography’s collection. The canvas records a quiet moment outside a stone structure, where three women in traditional dress interact with a laden donkey. The composition is anchored by a plain wall and sparse foliage, emphasizing the figures and their everyday activity.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays three women dressed in regional costume, each engaged in a distinct gesture: one carries a bundle, another leans on a donkey burdened with bags, and the third adjusts her headscarf. By focusing on ordinary labor and communal attire, the painting reflects rural life in the Balcic area and underscores the cultural identity of the local Tătăroaice community.
Technique & Style
Iorgulescu‑Yor applies thick, tactile brushstrokes that create a pronounced impasto surface, giving the scene a palpable texture. A muted palette of browns, grays and subdued reds dominates, while the women’s garments emerge in slightly brighter tones. The visible strokes and earthy colors align the piece with Expressionist tendencies, emphasizing emotional resonance over strict realism.
History & Provenance
Created around 1924, the painting entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings sometime after its completion, where it remains on display. Iorgulescu‑Yor, a Romanian artist of Jewish and Greek descent, produced the work during a period when he frequently explored folk subjects, contributing to the museum’s ethnographic narrative.
Artist & collection
Artist
Petre Iorgulescu-Yor (24 December 1890, Râmnicu Sărat – 29 April 1939, Bucharest) was a Romanian Expressionist painter of Jewish and Greek ancestry.
