Artwork
Vas de formă rotundă, cu pereții evazați, smălțuit în interior, decorat pe suprafața interioară, în prim-plan apărând fațada unei biserici cu trei turle, alături de motive geometrice (pătrate, semicercuri, puncte) grupate; pe margine, succesiune de motive semicirculare și punctiforme. Pe partea exterioară apare semnătura de meșter (Stelian Ogrezeanu) și localizarea (jud. Vîlcea). Cromatică: verde, cafeniu, maro, alb.

Vas de formă rotundă, cu pereții evazați, smălțuit în interior, decorat pe suprafața interioară, în prim-plan apărând fațada unei biserici cu trei turle, alături de motive geometrice (pătrate, semicercuri, puncte) grupate; pe margine, succesiune de motive semicirculare și punctiforme. Pe partea exterioară apare semnătura de meșter (Stelian Ogrezeanu) și localizarea (jud. Vîlcea). Cromatică: verde, cafeniu, maro, alb. is a print by Ogrezeanu Stelian. It is held in the collection of the Gavrila Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea. A circular ceramic plate, glazed on the interior, features a central depiction of a three‑towered church façade.
About this work
Overview
A circular ceramic plate, glazed on the interior, features a central depiction of a three‑towered church façade. The design is surrounded by geometric motifs—squares, semicircles and dots—arranged in bands along the rim. The exterior bears the craftsman's signature, Stelian Ogrezeanu, and the designation of Vâlcea County, Romania. The palette is limited to shades of green, brown, cream and white.
Subject & Meaning
The central image presents a stylised church with three spires, each crowned by a cross, suggesting a local religious architecture. The surrounding geometric patterns—repeating squares, half‑circles and punctiform elements—create a rhythmic border that frames the sacred motif, reflecting a folk aesthetic that intertwines everyday ornamentation with spiritual symbolism.
Technique & Style
The plate is formed from rounded ceramic clay and fired with an interior glaze that accentuates the painted scene. The decorative scheme relies on hand‑applied pigments in muted earth tones, applied in a flat, graphic manner characteristic of Romanian folk pottery. The use of simple, repetitive geometric forms aligns with traditional decorative vocabularies.
History & Provenance
Crafted by the potter Stelian Ogrezeanu, the piece is identified with the Vâlcea region of Romania, a locality known for its ceramic traditions. The signature and regional inscription on the reverse side provide direct evidence of its origin and the artisan’s personal attribution.
Context
The work belongs to a broader tradition of utilitarian ceramics that double as decorative objects in Romanian folk culture. Such plates often served both functional and ceremonial purposes, integrating local architectural motifs with ornamental patterns common in rural households.
Legacy
While modest in scale, the plate exemplifies the continuity of regional ceramic practices and the transmission of visual motifs across generations. It offers insight into the everyday artistic expression of Vâlcea’s communities and contributes to the documentation of Romanian folk art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Stelian Ogrezeanu shaped clay in a tiny workshop near Horezu, where the Carpathians press close enough to smell the woodsmoke.
Museum
Gavrila Simion Eco-Museum Research Institute Tulcea
Continue through works from the same source collection.














