Artwork
Barba împăratului (Cârciumărese)
Barba împăratului (Cârciumărese) is an unspecified painting by the Romanesque artist Gheorghe Petrașcu. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the National Museum of Art of Romania.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1920, Barba împăratului (Cârciumărese) is an oil painting by Romanian artist Gheorghe Petrașcu. Executed during the period when Petrașcu was associated with the Romanian romanesque tendency, the work measures a modest size and is catalogued as an image piece within museum collections.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a female figure, interpreted as a tavern keeper, whose facial feature resembles a beard, lending the piece an ambiguous, almost caricatural quality. This juxtaposition of gendered expectations invites reflection on identity and social roles within early‑twentieth‑century Romanian society.
Technique & Style
Petrașcu renders the scene with a restrained palette, employing loose brushwork to suggest the texture of the woman's clothing and the surrounding interior. The handling of light on the dark‑blue vase and the pink‑red flowers on a white‑and‑blue striped tablecloth demonstrates his skill in balancing detail with atmospheric suggestion.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced shortly after World War I, a period when Petrașcu received several national awards for his oeuvre. In the following decades it appeared in posthumous retrospectives, notably at the Paris International Exhibition and the Venice Biennale, and entered the collection of the Romanian Academy after his election as a titular member in 1936.
Context
Petrașcu’s work reflects the broader Romanian romanesque movement, which sought to blend local folk motifs with modernist sensibilities. The portrayal of a tavern scene aligns with contemporary interests in everyday life and the cultural landscape of interwar Romania.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gheorghe Petrașcu (Romanian pronunciation:; 20 November 1872, Tecuci – 1 May 1949, Bucharest) was a Romanian painter.
