Untitled ST
Stavru Tarasov
Starting bid
€ 400
Description
Oil on cardboard
It was part of the Kumbetlian collection.
The work by artist Stavru Tarasov depicts a classic subject – a vase of flowers – which is approached in an expressive manner, emphasizing texture and color. Although the work does not have a specific name, the composition and execution offer some interesting details that are worth analyzing. The subject of flowers in a vase is a traditional motif of static nature (the “still life” style), often used to explore the ephemeral beauty of nature and to convey the intimacy of the scene. In this work, the flowers – most likely pansies – are depicted in a semi-impressionistic style, emphasizing their fragility and organic texture.
Cool tones dominate, such as the blue and green of the background, which provide a subtle contrast to the warm shades of purple and yellow in the flower petals. The colors are layered, creating an effect of depth and dimension, typical of painters working in thick paste. The thick, pasty strokes indicate the use of the impasto technique, which adds texture and dynamism to the work. This technique allows each brushstroke to be visible, giving a tactile quality to the painting. The vase and background are treated with fewer details, emphasizing the flowers, which seem to be the focal point of the composition.
The composition is balanced, with the vase placed centrally and the flowers gently “flowing” beyond its boundaries. This approach suggests a combination of order and naturalism.
The background is simplified, so as not to distract from the main subject. Tarasov is known for his paintings that combine realism with expressionist accents, emphasizing emotion and expression over fine details. The present work is representative of his style, which focuses on color, light, and atmosphere. Although it seems simple at first glance, this work captures an atmosphere of calm and contemplation. The flowers seem to be a metaphor for the fragility and beauty of life, and the manner of execution suggests an invitation to introspection.
This still life signed by Stavru Tarasov is an excellent example of art that capitalizes on simplicity to convey depth. Stavru Tarasov (born January 6, 1883, Letea, Tulcea County - died January 18, 1961, Brașov) was a Romanian painter, musician and teacher. Stavru Tarasov, one of the four sons of the priest Mihail Tarasov, had Zaporozhian Cossack origins.
About the artist
Stavru Tarasov (n. 6 ianuarie 1883, Letea, județul Tulcea - d. 18 ianuarie 1961, Brașov) a fost un pictor, muzician și profesor român. After primary school, he attended four classes at the Normal School in Câmpulung (Muscel) and the fifth in Galați. In 1903 he entered the competition at the School of Fine Arts in Iași, where he was a colleague of Tonitza, Ștefan Dimitrescu, Bacalu and Bulgăraș, having as teachers, among others, Emanoil Panaiteanu-Bardasare (teacher and director), Sever Mureșanu and others. In parallel, he attended the Iași Conservatory of Music, in the "violin" class of Professor Atanasie Theodorini. At the end of the 1904-1905 school year at Bell Arte, Stavru Tarasov received the Bronze Medal for the work "Drawing after an ancient figure". Between 1906 and 1909 he entered through a competition and attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Munich (registered on 14.05.1906 with the matriculation number 3123, specializing in "drawing", where he was a colleague of Nicolae Tonitza and Marius Bunescu. Towards the end of 1909 he settled in Paris, where he remained until 1910. He studied in museums and private studios and participated in Tonitza's exhibition, organized in his studio on Montparnasse Street. In 1911 he moved to Brussels, where he remained until 1914. During this time he entered through a competition and attended painting studies at the "Académie des Beaux Arts" in Brussels. He supported himself by playing the violin in an orchestra and making copies of paintings in museums. In 1912 he participated in a collective exhibition in The Hague with the painting "Morphinomane". The work was purchased by the city architect – Ian Hendricks. Praised by critics and the public, the Romanian painter caught the attention of the City Hall, which commissioned him to make a copy of Fra Angelico’s work, “The Descent from the Cross”. In 1914 he returned to Brussels and, together with a group of Belgian decorative artists, went to Argentina, to Rosario, where he decorated the local theater.
In 1915 he worked as a draftsman in Paris and on July 15, 1915 he returned to Romania. Upon returning home, he applied for a teaching position. He was sent as a substitute teacher in the hamlet of Sfiștofca in the commune of Periprava, Tulcea County. During 1916–1917 he was mobilized in the 73rd Infantry Regiment, in Tulcea, and used as a translator for the Russian armies in the Danube Delta. During the period 1918–1928 he worked as a drawing teacher in Târgu Ocna, where he married the teacher Constanța Ionescu, close to Queen Maria in her acts of charity for the wounded in World War I. He then worked in Bacău, Tecuci and Bârlad.