Romanian art

Ox cart, one of the most iconic Romanian artworks, by Nicolae Grigorescu, 1899

Romanian art consists of the visual and plastic arts (including Romanian architecture, woodwork, textiles, and ceramics) originating from the geographical area of Romania. The production of art in Romania is as old as the Paleolithic, an example being a cave painting from the Cuciulat Cave (Sălaj County).[1] During the Neolithic, multiple cultures lived on the modern territory of Romania. Their material culture included pottery and abstract clay statuettes decorated with geometric patterns. These may give hints on the way these civilizations used to dress and maybe tattoo. A good examples of this is the Thinker of Hamangia, a clay figurine produced by the Hamangia culture. Important cultures of the Neolithic era include Starčevo–Körös–Criș, Boian, Gumelnița–Karanovo, and other ones, the most famous and at the same time the most evolved among them in art being the Cucuteni–Trypillia culture.[2] During Antiquity, the Geto-Dacians produced art and built multiple cities of the dava type (like Sucidava, Argedava or Buridava). Greek colonies appear in Dobruja, including Tomis (present-day Constanța), and Mangalia (present-day Mangalia). After the Dacian Wars (101–102, 105–106), Emperor Trajan transformed a big part of Dacia into a province of the Roman Empire. The province underwent an intense process of Romanization (aka Latinization).[3]

Between the 5th and the 8th centuries, the process of Romanian etnogenesis takes place. This era is labeled by scientist as pre-Medieval or pre-Feudal.[4] Since Romania was and is an Eastern Orthodox country, its medieval art was heavily influenced by the Byzantine Empire. The Renaissance has a quite loose influence in Wallachia and Moldavia. During the reign of Constantin Brâncoveanu (1688-1714), the Brâncovenesc style appears, also known as Brâncovenesc Baroque, because it used Baroque elements from West Europe and Ottoman ones.[5] The 19th century was one of change. Together with the 20th, it marked the transition from medieval to modern. Across these centuries, multiple Romanian artists and architects study at West European universities, particularly in Paris. Gheorghe Tattarescu is representative for Neoclassicism, as well as Nicolae Grigorescu is for Impressionism. This shift is also reflected in the architecture of cities, which started to look more European, Neoclassical and Beaux-Arts architecture being very popular in late 19th and early 20th centuries. Later, Romania remains connected with the West, trends and styles such as Art Nouveau, Art Deco or Bauhaus being as fashionable here as in West Europe.

  1. ^ Florea, Vasile (2016). Arta Românească de la Origini până în Prezent. Litera. p. 11. ISBN 978-606-33-1053-9.
  2. ^ Florea, Vasile (2016). Arta Românească de la Origini până în Prezent. Litera. pp. 12, 13. ISBN 978-606-33-1053-9.
  3. ^ Florea, Vasile (2016). Arta Românească de la Origini până în Prezent. Litera. pp. 23, 25. ISBN 978-606-33-1053-9.
  4. ^ Florea, Vasile (2016). Arta Românească de la Origini până în Prezent. Litera. p. 35. ISBN 978-606-33-1053-9.
  5. ^ Hostiuc, Constantin (2008). The Romanian Baroque - Gestures of Authority, Answers and Echoes. noi media print. ISBN 978-973-1805-27-6.