Constantin Lecca (; 4 August 1807 – 13 October 1887) was a Romanian painter and art professor. He was the first Romanian artist to create Western-style religious paintings. Although he worked in a variety of genres, including history painting, he is best known for his portraits.

Biography

He was born into a family of merchants. In 1827, he went to Buda to study painting, but it is not known where or with whom he studied, so he may have been essentially self-taught. In any event, he made his first contacts with Romanian revolutionaries and became a friend of

Zaharia Carcalechi Zaharia Carcalechi (1784 or 1787—1856) was an Imperial Austrian-born Wallachian publisher. Born into an Aromanian family in Oradea, his father, a merchant, later moved the family to Brașov. Zaharia, after settling in the Hungarian capita ...

, contributing articles, translations and portraits to his ''Romanian Library''.Paul Rezeanu
''Bicentenarul nașterii lui Constantin Lecca''
from the cultural magazine ''Ramuri'', published by the Writer's Union. In 1833, he accepted an invitation to teach at the "Școala Centrală" (Central School) in Craiova. Five years later, he became the founder and editor of one of Romania's first cultural magazines, ''Mozaicul''. He also started a family and was sufficiently successful to travel extensively, including a trip to Paris from 1847 to 1848, where he joined the circle of Romanian patriots, centered around

Nicolae Bălcescu Nicolae Bălcescu () (29 June 181929 November 1852) was a Romanian Wallachian soldier, historian, journalist, and leader of the 1848 Wallachian Revolution. Early life Born in Bucharest to a family of low-ranking nobility, he used his mother' ...

and

Dimitrie Bolintineanu Dimitrie Bolintineanu (; 14 January 1819 (1825 according to some sources), Bolintin-Vale – 20 August 1872, Bucharest) was a Romanian poet, though he wrote in many other styles as well, diplomat, politician, and a participant in the revolut ...

, among others. When he returned home, he participated in the

Wallachian Revolution of 1848 The Wallachian Revolution of 1848 was a Romanian liberal and nationalist uprising in the Principality of Wallachia. Part of the Revolutions of 1848, and closely connected with the unsuccessful revolt in the Principality of Moldavia, it sought ...

, having to quit his position and leave his family for fear of reprisals. After remaining under cover in his hometown for a time, he was able to secure a professorship at

Saint Sava National College The Saint Sava National College (Romanian: ''Colegiul Național Sfântul Sava''), Bucharest, named after Sabbas the Sanctified, is the oldest and one of the most prestigious high schools in Romania. It was founded in 1694, under the name of t ...

, thanks to the intercession of Petrache Poenaru. One of his best-known students was

Theodor Aman Theodor Aman (20 March 1831 – 19 August 1891) was a Romanian painter, engraver and art professor. He mostly produced genre and history scenes. Biography His father was a cavalry commander from Craiova but he was born in Câmpulung, where his f ...

. For the next fifteen years, he collaborated with Mișu Popp, painting murals at several churches throughout Bucharest and the nearby countryside. Among them was the

Curtea Veche Church The Curtea Veche Church ( ro, Biserica Curtea Veche) is a Romanian Orthodox church located at 33 Franceză Street in the Lipscani quarter of Bucharest, Romania. It is dedicated to the Feast of the Annunciation and to Saint Anthony the Great. Histo ...

, the oldest religious building in Bucharest that has not been significantly altered. It was at this time that he also established his reputation as a portrait painter. In 1870, illness forced him to retire and he painted little, although he lived for seventeen more years.

Selected paintings

File:Constantin Lecca - Batran.jpg, An Old Man File:Constantin Lecca - Albanez.jpg, An Albanian File:Constantin Lecca - Dragos Voda la vanatoarea zimbrului.jpg, Dragoș Vodă
Hunting Bison File:Constantin Lecca - Portret de doamna descifrind o partitura.jpg, Lady Reading
a Musical Score File:Constantin Lecca - Portretul Mariei Maiorescu.jpg,

Titu Maiorescu Titu Liviu Maiorescu (; 15 February 1840 – 18 June 1917) was a Romanian literary critic and politician, founder of the ''Junimea'' Society. As a literary critic, he was instrumental in the development of Romanian culture in the second half of ...

's Mother, Maria

References

External links

Revista de cultura ''Mozaicul''
new series {{DEFAULTSORT:Lecca, Constantin 1807 births 1887 deaths People from Brașov Romanian muralists Portrait painters 19th-century Romanian painters

Biography

Selected paintings

References

Further reading

External links