Petre Şerban - painting memories

"Selfportrait", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm, 1995

I thought there are no more painters to evoke the countryside landscapes. Probably what we know as countryside is old fashion already. In a century of speed, of modern of any kind, hideous or horror, but called art, where painting can be done even through a remote or a click, Serban Petre focuses, almost obsessive, toward the ancestral Romanian values: the village, the peasants, their pure lives, the heroes of the Romanian people and everything symbolize history (through portraits and city views) in his own characteristic impression.

"Artist childhood House from Comoara Village", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 40x50cm, 2005
FOR SALE

"Work on field", Petre Şerban, acrylic on canvas, 35x43cm, 2011
FOR SALE

"Backwater from Comoara village", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm, 2010
FOR SALE

When did you start to paint?

I used to paint since I was very young. I am born at countryside, in Comoara village, Teleorman county. My teachers liked very much my paintings which encouraged me a lot. So, driven by destiny and my desire of learning and perfection, when I was 18 years old I left my village and came to Bucharest. Even so, the memories of my village, of that life remained in my mind and my soul. And they will remain forever.  



"Church from Comoara village", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm
FOR SALE

"Threshing", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm
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"Autumn in forest", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 43x35cm
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"Forest from Comoara village", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 40x50cm
PRIVATE COLLECTION

 

The life in Bucharest was not simple. I worked in a textile company as foreman. In all that period I painted a lot. I remember a very nice thing: even if I was not an art teacher, many people appreciated and bought my paintings and not the ones of the art teacher from the School. Because my work was appreciated, I succeeded to become art professor. 
 

"Flowers", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 43x35cm
FOR SALE

 

"Saint Sofia Cathedral", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard 40x50cm
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"Flowers", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 40x40cm
FOR SALE



"Medieval Castle", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard

How would you characterize your paintings?

My art is figurative, post impressionist. Everything is from inside. I like this style because I can suggest the idea even if it is not easy. If you are close to a painting you don’t understand it too well, but if you look from far, you can properly see it. Many person used to ask me: how you succeed to paint from close something which can be seen from far? My eyes, my mind and my hand are trained.



"Marine", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm
FOR SALE



"German medieval castle Neuschwanstein", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 40x50cm, 2011
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 "Work on field", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm
FOR SALE

"Rural landscape", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm, 2010
PRIVATE COLLECTION

"The sheep", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm
FOR SALE

What are you favorite themes?

I paint landscapes from my village, shepherd with his sheep, peasants at work. I will never give up to these sceneries: morning and evening light, fields, people, work from the countryside. I also painted the portrait of our national poet Mihai Eminescu and his beloved, Veronica Micle. 

 

"Mihai Eminescu's portrait", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 50x40cm
FOR SALE

"Veronica Micle's portrait", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 50x40cm
FOR SALE

"Vlad Ţepeş's portrait", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 38x51cm
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"Alexandru Ioan Cuza", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 38x40cm
FOR SALE


"Carol I", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 43x32cm
FOR SALE

"The old coffee shop from Covaci Street", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 40x50cm, 2009
FOR SALE

"Saint Anton Church from Bucharest", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm, 2010
FOR SALE

"Manuc's Inn", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm
FOR SALE

I like very much the city landscape. There are some old buildings in Bucharest which are very beautiful.

"Covaci Street", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 40x50cm
FOR SALE

"Louis Calderon Street", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x43cm, 2011
FOR SALE

"Şerlari Street", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 30x40cm, 2011
FOR SALE

"Blănari Street", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 43x35cm
FOR SALE

I evolved thanks to the work. It was a saying: “the work develop the senses and the need of expressing”

"Landscape from Cotroceni", Petre Şerban, acrylic on canvas, 89x50cm
FOR SALE

"Sighişoara", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 35x40cm
FOR SALE

"Flowers", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 43x35cm
FOR SALE
 

"Artist childhood House from Comoara Village", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 40x50cm
FOR SALE

"Flowers at the shore", Petre Şerban, acrylic on cardboard, 40x50cm, 2011
FOR SALE

"Sunrise", Petre Şerban, oil on cardboard, 50x70cm, 2003
FOR SALE

"Landscape from Carol Park", Petre Şerban, oil on cardboard, 40x50cm, 2009
FOR SALE

How fast are you painting?

It depends on the moment of inspiration. Sometime I can paint in 10 minutes, sometimes more then an hour. I am a painter who doesn’t try hard to become well-known. Sometimes I didn’t have enough money to buy the all necessary items and I used to paint on the both sides of a cardboard. I paint to nourish my soul and my mind. My paintings are memories.

Petre Şerban

Biography  

Born on 6^th of November 1949, in Comoara (Treasure) Village, Teleorman County

Graduated of Art School – painting section

Member of Association of Plastic Artists, Bucharest

Member of Literary Group “Vasile Cârlova”

Chairman of Plastic Arts Commission of the European Cultural Center of Aerogram Dr. Ovidiu Demetrescu and of the European Cultural Center of Plastic Arts Colonel Eugen Burghelea

Art teacher since 1999

Included in the Dictionary "Romanian personalities and their deeds, 1950-2000" Volume XXI-2006, Volume XXV-2007

Joined in May 2010 Encyclopedia of Personalities from Romania “Who is Who”

Included in “Encyclopedia of contemporary Romanian Artists”, VII volume, edited ARC 2000

                                   Petre Şerban

Artistic activity

Participant to the annual exhibitions organized by Association of Plastic Artists

Participant with paitings at the Monavissa Auction House 2008-2010

Exhibitions:

Mihail Sadoveanu Library

Association of Plastic Artists Galleries

Gallery of National Military Circle

House of Professors from Bucharest

“Five” Gallery

“Mihai Eminescu” Gallery

“Noni” Gallery

“Constantin Brâncuşi” Gallery

School no. 131 Gallery

Unirea Hotel Gallery, Iaşi

City Hall Gallery

BACU Academy Foundation Gallery – group exhibition

School no. 115 Gallery

School no. 146 Gallery

Painting exhibition at UNESCO Headquarter, Bucharest

Dalles Hall, group exhibition

Cultural Center of Internal Affairs Exhibiton

Exhibition at Museum of Bucharest Gallery

Exhibition at National Theatre from Bucharest

La Cetate Gallery from Cişmigiu Park, Bucharest

Annually participant in the last 20 years at the Navy Day, exhibtions organized by the Romanian Navy League

Awards:

2^nd place prize for painting at the Artistic Creation Contest ”Cântarea Românei”, 1987

1^st place and 4^th prize at Plastic Art Contest “Pe un picior de plai” in 1994 and 1996

Laureate of painting exhibition of Romanian Navy League in 2005, 2007, 2008

Honor Diploma of the Literary Group “Vasile Cârlova” in 2006, 2007, 2008

N.B. Some of the works displayed above are for sale. If you want details about the painter and his paintings, please use email/telephone mentioned in Contact section.