Artwork
Personaj biblic - Arhiereu
Personaj biblic - Arhiereu is a drawing by Gheorghe Tattarescu. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the Bucharest Municipality Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1867 by Gheorghe Tattarescu, a pivotal Romanian artist who helped introduce neoclassical principles to his nation’s visual culture, this image is part of the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings. It portrays a biblical high priest, rendered in a sketch‑like manner that suggests a preparatory study rather than a finished composition.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is a bearded cleric dressed in a long, flowing robe adorned with cross motifs and a belt holding a small pouch. He holds a book and a staff, attributes traditionally linked to priestly authority, emphasizing his role as a religious mediator within the biblical narrative.
Technique & Style
Executed with faint pencil lines and cross‑hatching, the drawing employs linear shading to model form and suggest volume. The loose, unfinished quality indicates a rapid study, capturing the essential gestures and costume details without the polish of a final oil painting.
History & Provenance
After its creation in the late 1860s, the work entered the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it remains accessible for research and public viewing. Its presence in an ethnographic context reflects the institution’s interest in documenting religious iconography alongside cultural artifacts.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gheorghe Tattarescu (Romanian pronunciation: ; October 1818 – October 24, 1894) was a Romanian painter and a pioneer of neoclassicism in his country's modern painting.
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