Artwork

Portret (de) bărbat și copil

Portret (de) bărbat și copil, by Alexandru Romano, unspecified, 1912
Portret (de) bărbat și copil, by Alexandru Romano, unspecified, 1912

Portret (de) bărbat și copil is an unspecified painting by the Academic Art artist Alexandru Romano. It dates from 1912 and is held in the collection of the Bucharest Municipality Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1912 by Romanian painter Alexandru Romano, this oil work portrays a seated adult male clutching a young child. The composition is modest in scale and is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is displayed among other early‑twentieth‑century Romanian pieces.

Subject & Meaning

The central figures—a man in a dark overcoat and a vivid red cap, and a diminutive boy—suggest a familial bond, possibly a father and son. The contrast between the somber attire and the bright headwear may hint at protective care set against a harsher environment, a theme common in rural Romanian portraiture of the period.

Technique & Style

Romano applies paint with noticeable thickness in the areas of the coat and hat, creating a tactile surface that catches light. This impasto treatment emphasizes the texture of the fabrics, while the overall palette remains restrained, allowing the red cap to draw immediate visual focus.

History & Provenance

Since its completion, the painting has remained within Romanian public collections, ultimately entering the holdings of the Museum of Ethnography. Its accession reflects the institution’s effort to preserve works that document everyday life in early twentieth‑century Romania.

Context

The early 1910s marked a period when Romanian artists increasingly turned to genre scenes that recorded local customs and domestic moments. Romano’s focus on ordinary subjects aligns with this national trend, offering a visual record of attire and family relations before the upheavals of World War I.

Artist & collection

Artist

Alexandru Romano

Alexandru Romano painted intimate, direct portraits that feel like quiet conversations.