Artwork
Mal la mare
Mal la mare is a print by Carol Pop de Szathmári. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Bucharest Municipality Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1874, *Mal la mare* is an oil painting by Carol Szathmari, a Romanian artist of Transylvanian Hungarian descent. The work is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. It depicts a modest maritime scene rendered in a subdued palette, characteristic of Szathmari’s later period.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a quiet seascape: a small, dark‑hued vessel occupies the lower right, while the horizon is marked by faint, indistinct landforms. The muted sky and water suggest a calm, perhaps overcast atmosphere, inviting contemplation of the sea’s stillness rather than dramatic narrative.
Technique & Style
Szathmari employs loose, rapid brushwork that leaves portions of the surface loosely defined, creating a sketch‑like quality. The blues and whites of the water blend softly, contrasted by the pale, misty gray of the sky. This unfinished, slightly blurred effect hints at a swift execution, emphasizing mood over precise detail.
History & Provenance
Born in 1812, Szathmari is noted for pioneering photography in Romania and for his early combat photographs from the Crimean War. *Mal la mare* belongs to the later stage of his artistic output, after his photographic achievements. The painting entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings through acquisition in the early 20th century, where it remains on view.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carol Szathmari (Romanian: Carol Popp de Szathmari, Hungarian: Szathmáry Pap Károly; 11 January 1812, Kolozsvár – 3 July 1887, Bucharest) was a Romanian painter, lithographer, and photographer of Transylvanian Hungarian…
