Artwork

Sequences from the Village Museum, naive painting by Petru Mihuțe - The beggar (1988)

Ioan George Andron , 1988

Sequences from the Village Museum, naive painting by Petru Mihuțe - The beggar (1988) is an unspecified painting by the Naïve art artist Ioan George Andron. It dates from 1988 and is held in the collection of the "Dimitrie Gusti" National Village Museum.

About this work

Overview

Petru Mihuțe’s 1988 work “The Beggar” belongs to the Romanian naïve tradition, a style noted for its straightforward, unpretentious visual language.

Petru Mihuțe’s 1988 work “The Beggar” belongs to the Romanian naïve tradition, a style noted for its straightforward, unpretentious visual language. Executed in bright, flat tones, the painting depicts a solitary figure seated on stone steps in a tranquil square, accompanied by a small dog. The composition captures a moment of everyday life, rendered with the directness characteristic of naïve art.

Subject & Meaning

At the centre of the scene sits a beggar, his clothing worn and his hands clasping a bowl for alms. The presence of the dog at his feet adds a note of companionship, suggesting a modest dignity amid poverty. The work invites viewers to pause on the quiet dignity of an ordinary figure, highlighting themes of humility and human resilience.

Technique & Style

Mihuțe employs bold, unmodulated color fields and crisp outlines, giving the image a child‑like clarity. The flat application of pigment and simplified perspective eliminate illusionistic depth, focusing attention on shape and hue. This approach, typical of naïve painting, emphasizes narrative over realism, allowing the emotional tone of the scene to emerge through vivid, unrefined forms.

History & Provenance

Born in 1927 in the village of Brusturi, Arad County, Petru Mihuțe emerged as a leading figure in Romanian naïve art. “The Beggar” was created in 1988 and is part of the Sequences from the Village Museum collection, where it is displayed alongside other works that illustrate the artist’s lifelong engagement with rural motifs and everyday subjects.