Artwork

În i

În i, by Savu Moga
În i, by Savu Moga

În i is a drawing by Savu Moga. It is held in the collection of the ASTRA National Museum Complex. This drawing features a group of figures arranged in a ceremonial setting, rendered with flat, unmodulated colors and bold black outlines.

About this work

Overview

The background is densely populated with additional figures and architectural forms, creating a layered, symbolic space rather than a realistic one.

This drawing features a group of figures arranged in a ceremonial setting, rendered with flat, unmodulated colors and bold black outlines. The composition includes individuals in varied attire—robes and ornate garments—standing on a decorative floor pattern. A central figure holds a book, suggesting a narrative or ritual context. The background is densely populated with additional figures and architectural forms, creating a layered, symbolic space rather than a realistic one.

Subject & Meaning

The scene appears to depict a religious or liturgical event, with hierarchical positioning indicating social or spiritual rank. The presence of a book implies textual authority, possibly scripture or sacred law. The stylized figures and lack of naturalistic detail suggest an emphasis on symbolic representation over individual identity, aligning with traditions that prioritize communal ritual over personal expression.

Technique & Style

The artwork employs flat areas of intense color—red, blue, and green—without shading or perspective to model form. Figures and structures are defined by thick, uniform black outlines, creating a graphic, almost textile-like quality. The patterned floor and crowded background reinforce a decorative, non-naturalistic approach, characteristic of visual systems that prioritize symbolic clarity over optical realism.

History & Provenance

The work is associated with the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, suggesting it originates from a cultural tradition that values ritual imagery in communal or religious life. Its stylistic traits align with folk or liturgical art forms from regions where such visual conventions were used to convey sacred narratives outside academic artistic frameworks.

Context

This image reflects a visual language common in devotional or ceremonial art from communities where literacy was limited and imagery served as a conduit for religious instruction. The absence of depth and the emphasis on pattern and color mirror practices found in illuminated manuscripts, iconography, or textile designs used in ritual contexts across various cultures.

Legacy

Works like this contribute to broader understandings of how non-Western and non-academic traditions encode meaning through formal simplicity. Their preservation in ethnographic collections highlights their role as cultural artifacts, offering insight into how communities visually articulate belief systems through stylized, collective imagery.

Artist & collection

Artist

Savu Moga

Savu Moga painted religious icons in the folk style of 19th‑century Țara Făgărașului.