Ipolit Strâmbulescu, known as Ipolit Strâmbu (18 May 1871 in Bratilovu,

Mehedinți County Mehedinți County () is a county ( ro, județ) of Romania on the border with Serbia and Bulgaria. It is mostly located in the historical province of Oltenia, with one municipality (Orșova) and three communes ( Dubova, Eșelnița, and Svinița) ...

– 31 October 1934 in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

), was a Romanian painter best known for his portraits of women, which ranged from domestic scenes to nudes.

Biography

He was the son of a shepherd and became interested in drawing while attending the local schools. His first formal lessons were with

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 ...

and

George Demetrescu Mirea George Demetrescu Mirea (1852, in Câmpulung – 12 December 1934, in Bucharest) was a Romanian portrait painter, muralist and art teacher. Biography He was one of twelve children born to an Archpriest. His first art lessons were at the "Școala ...

at the "National School of Fine Arts" (now known as the

Bucharest National University of Arts The National University of Arts in Bucharest ( ro, Universitatea Naţională de Arte) is a university in Bucharest preparing students in fine arts. The National University of Arts is a higher education institution in Bucharest. History The Nat ...

).Brief biography
@ Muzeul Județean de Artǎ, Baia Mare. In 1891,

Nicolae Grigorescu Nicolae Grigorescu (; 15 May 1838 – 21 July 1907) was one of the founders of modern Romanian painting. There is a metro station named after Grigorescu in Bucharest. It was given his name in 1990, before which it was named after Communist army ...

encouraged him to create some paintings for an exhibition at the

Romanian Athenaeum The Romanian Athenaeum ( ro, Ateneul Român) is a concert hall in the center of Bucharest, Romania, and a landmark of the Romanian capital city. Opened in 1888, the ornate, domed, circular building is the city's most prestigious concert hall an ...

and became his patron. Four years later, Strâmbu graduated from the Academy and became a freelance painter. His income was insufficient, so he entered a competition to become a Professor of drawing at the gymnasium in

Craiova Craiova (, also , ), is Romania's 6th Cities in Romania, largest city and capital of Dolj County, and situated near the east bank of the river Jiu River, Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximatel ...

. He taught there briefly, then was awarded a scholarship to go to Munich, where he studied with

Carl von Marr Carl von Marr (February 14, 1858 – July 10, 1936) was an American-born German painter whose work encompassed religious and mythological subjects, genre, and portraits. He was also a professor of art in Munich. Biography He was born in Mi ...

at the

Academy of Fine Arts The following is a list of notable art schools. Accredited non-profit art and design colleges * Adelaide Central School of Art * Alberta College of Art and Design * Art Academy of Cincinnati * Art Center College of Design * The Art Institute o ...

. In 1900, he went to Paris, where he participated in the Exposition Universelle. In 1901, he became a Professor at the National School. Later that year, together with

Ștefan Luchian Ștefan Luchian (, last name also spelled Lukian; 1 February 1868 – 28 June 1916) was a Romanian painter, famous for his landscapes and still life works. Biography Early life Luchian was born in Ștefănești, a village of Botoșani County, ...

Nicolae Vermont Nicolae Vermont (October 10, 1866 – June 14, 1932) was a Romanian realist painter, graphic artist and muralist. He was noted for his wide range of subjects and his interest in social issues, and was an associate of the post-Impressionists Ştef ...

and several others, he helped establish "Tinerimea Artistică" (artistic youth) an organization that advocated realistic art, with ordinary people and peasant life as subjects. He continued to paint prolifically and exhibit widely throughout the 1910s and 20s; including displays at the

Venice Biennale The Venice Biennale (; it, La Biennale di Venezia) is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy by the Biennale Foundation. The biennale has been organised every year since 1895, which makes it the oldest of ...

of 1924 and the

International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts (french: Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes) was a World's fair held in Paris, France, from April to October 1925. It was designed by the Fren ...

of 1925, in Paris. He also taught at the school in the artists' colony at

Baia Mare Baia Mare ( , ; hu, Nagybánya; german: Frauenbach or Groß-Neustadt; la, Rivulus Dominarum) is a municipality along the Săsar River, in northwestern Romania; it is the capital of Maramureș County. The city lies in the region of Maramureș ...

, authored several textbooks and drawing manuals and was one of the organizers of the "Muzeul Național de Artă Populară" (folk art museum). Although his conservative style of painting had ceased to be popular by the time of his death, major retrospectives have been held twice; at the Craiova Art Museum in 1971 and the Art Museum of

Drobeta-Turnu Severin Drobeta-Turnu Severin (), colloquially Severin, is a city in Mehedinți County, Oltenia, Romania, on the northern bank of the Danube, close to the Iron Gates. "Drobeta" is the name of the ancient Dacian and Roman towns at the site, and the modern ...

in 1984.

Selected paintings

File:Ipolit Strambu - Maternitate.jpg, Maternity File:Ipolit Strambu - Pe ganduri.jpg, Second Thoughts File:Ipolit Strambu - Tarancuta.jpg, Country Girl File:Ipolit Strambu - Fata citind.jpg, Young Woman Reading File:Ipolit Strambu - Cochetarie.jpg, Coquetry

References

External links

Ipolit Strâmbu
Reminiscences and an appreciation of his art by V. Oprenescu @ the

Baia de Aramă Baia de Aramă is a small Romanian town located in Mehedinți County, in the historical region of Oltenia, with a population of 5,349. The river Brebina runs through the town. Some Dacian ruins can be found in the town, as well as the 17th cent ...

website
ArtNet: More works by Strâmbu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strambu, Ipolit 1871 births 1934 deaths People from Mehedinți County Portrait painters 20th-century Romanian painters