The Romanian Modern Art Gallery tells the story of how Romanian art evolved from the 1850s until the 1970s.
Ample monographic presentations of Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Ioan Andreescu illustrate the strong influence of French painting at a time when Romanian intellectuals were particularly interested in generating a national visual identity. Painters such as Ștefan Luchian, Theodor Pallady, Gheorghe Petrașcu, Nicolae Tonitza and Ștefan Dimitrescu explore the vein of classical European modernism whereas artists like M.H. Maxy, Marcel Iancu and Victor Brauner make a strong case for the contribution of Romanian Avant-garde in shaping European avant-garde of the 1920s and ‘30s. Later generations of artists demonstrate a similarly broad opening toward the various trends and styles that dominate the European art scene for longer or shorter periods of time.
A consistent group of early works by Constantin Brâncuși call for special attention. They are indicative of the sculptor’s strenuous attempts to move away from the academic tradition and follow a personal pathway. Echoes of his preoccupations can be easily discerned in the work of a limited number of contemporary followers such as female students Milița Petrașcu and Irina Codreanu.
