Artwork
Vânzătoarea de cireșe
Vânzătoarea de cireșe is a print by Nicolae Vermont. It dates from 1913 and is held in the collection of the Bucharest Municipality Museum.
About this work
Overview
Nicolae Vermont’s 1913 canvas titled Vânzătoarea de cireșe is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The work depicts a solitary woman seated outdoors, a basket of red fruit placed before her. She is dressed in a light‑toned dress beneath a dark headscarf, her hands resting calmly on her lap, while a vague green‑yellow landscape and distant boats suggest a riverside setting.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a quiet, everyday scene of a fruit‑selling woman, emphasizing the modest dignity of rural labor. The red cherries in the basket serve as a focal point, contrasting with the muted surroundings and hinting at themes of sustenance and the fleeting nature of harvest.
Technique & Style
Vermont employs a thick, impasto application of paint, creating a tactile surface where brushstrokes are pronounced and slightly rough. This method gives the colors a sculptural quality, while the woman’s facial features are rendered with soft focus, lending the composition a slightly dreamlike atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Created in 1913, Vânzătoarea de cireșe entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings at an unspecified date, where it remains on display. The work reflects Vermont’s interest in documenting Romanian folk life during the early twentieth century, aligning with the museum’s mission to preserve cultural heritage.
Artist & collection
Artist
A Romanian realist painter and printmaker of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Nicolae Vermont made quiet, precise scenes of daily life.
