Artwork
ȘTEFAN GHEORGHIU
ȘTEFAN GHEORGHIU is an unspecified painting by Alexandru Phoebus. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Art of Romania.
About this work
The red writing on the envelope says *"ȘTEFAN GHEORGHIU"* and *"1913"*, hinting at a name and year tied to the painting.
This painting shows a man in a suit and tie, holding an envelope with red writing on it. His background is a wild mix of bright reds, yellows, and greens, almost like a stormy sky. The man’s face is serious, and his hands look ready to open the envelope.
The red writing on the envelope says *"ȘTEFAN GHEORGHIU"* and *"1913"*, hinting at a name and year tied to the painting. The bold colors and rough brushstrokes make it feel urgent and alive.
If you like this style, look up impasto next—it’s the technique of painting thick layers of paint.
Overview
Alexandru Phoebus’s painting, titled Ștefan Gheorghiu, dates from around 1850. It presents a formally dressed figure clutching an envelope that bears a name and a date, set against a turbulent backdrop of vivid reds, yellows and greens. The composition balances a solemn portraiture with an expressive, almost storm‑like environment.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, a man in a suit and tie, holds an envelope marked with the inscription Ștefan Gheorghiu and the year 1913. The serious expression and poised hands suggest anticipation or the receipt of important news, while the enveloped text links the work to a specific individual and moment, inviting speculation about personal or historical significance.
Technique & Style
Phoebus employs thick impasto layers, allowing the paint to stand out from the canvas and create a tactile surface. Broad, vigorous brushstrokes generate a sense of immediacy, especially in the swirling, storm‑like sky. The contrast between the muted figure and the saturated background heightens the visual tension.
History & Provenance
Although the painting bears a date of 1913 on the envelope, it was created roughly sixty years earlier, around 1850, indicating that the inscription was added later or references a later event. The work remains attributed to Alexandru Phoebus, a Romanian artist active in the mid‑nineteenth century.
Context
The piece reflects a period in Romanian art when Romantic and early Realist tendencies intersected. The dramatic sky and emotional intensity echo Romantic sensibilities, while the detailed rendering of the sitter aligns with emerging realist approaches to portraiture.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Untitled
Ilarie Voronca (față); Portretul lui X (verso)
Portrait of Garegin Levonyan
Boloni Farkas Sandor
Tablou, ulei pe pânză, ”Portret Nicolae Ceaușescu”, nesemnat, atribuit lui Teodor Istrati. Portret Nicolae Ceaușescu pe fundal steagul cu stema R.S.R. și steagul cu sigla P.C.R., elemente de peisaj urban, inscripție cu majuscule în partea de sus ”NICOLAE CEAUȘESCU”. Oferit de autor lui Nicolae Ceaușescu, București, 25 iunie 1971.
Thomas Balston
Portretul Dr. Anca Emanoil
Tablou, pictură pe șevalet, ”Nicolae Ceaușescu”, nesemnat, atribuit Elena Popovici Brăila. Tablou realizat după primul portret oficial a lui Nicolae Ceaușescu. Oferit cadou de autoare, Elena Popovici Brăila din Câmpulung Muscel, lui Nicolae Ceaușescu cu ocazia aniversării zilei de naștere, ianuarie 1978.
Self-portrait
Autoportret
Self-portrait
Portretul arhitectului Edmond van Saanen Algi