Mona Lisa Creators: Leonardo & Vermeer & Rădulescu

Mona Lisa  

painted between 1503 – 1506, during Renaissance period at Florence, Italy

by Leonardo da Vinci

Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci

The painting (oil on poplar panel, 77x53 cm) depicts a seated woman whose facial expression is frequently described as enigmatic. The ambiguity of the subject's expression, the monumentality of the composition, the subtle modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to the continuing fascination and study of the work.      
        The work is currently owned by the Government of France and is on display at the Musée du Louvre in Paris under the title Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

It’s value is estimated at 642 millions of dollars.  

Dutch Mona Lisa

painted around 1665

by Johannes Vermeer

"Dutch Mona Lisa" by Johannes Vermeer

“Dutch Mona Lisa” or “Mona Lisa of the North” or “The Girl with Pearl Earring” is also a portrait (oil on canvas, 44.5x39 cm) of girl who stand in front of a dark background. A soft light shines on her face, while the turban on her head is painted in a bright and strong blue and yellow. Her lips are held in a deep red, what balances the focus of the viewer. The true focal point however is – and here we might argue a bit – either the reflecting pearl earring or the fact, that her eyes seem to interact with the viewer.

None knows who the girl is, neither if the work was commissioned or if we see a paid model. The turban was a popular accessory during the 17th century as oriental culture enjoyed a risen interest after the wars with the Ottoman wars in Europe.  

The painting was auctioned in 1885 at Hague where it received not more than two Gulden and thirty cent. The portrait is currently housed in the Mauritshuis in the Hague (Maurice House Art Museum from Hague).

The popularity of nowadays is certainly a merit of the same named novel and film.

Romanian Mona Lisa

painted in 1946

by Magdalena Rădulescu 

"Romanian Mona Lisa" by Magdalena Rădulescu

”Girl portrait” (oil on canvas, signed at the bottom right, 81.5x64 cm) belong to the art lover and big art collector Dr. Nour who bought it from Alis Auction House from Bucharest, Romania. The painting depicts a beautiful girl who might be considered as a symbol of Romanians girls with Romanian characteristics: big eyes, warm look, ivory skin, secret and discreet smile.

The beauty of the girl impressed very much the owner who dedicate a poem to the girl from the portrait and to the artist Magdalena Rădulescu. (How Romanian Mona Lisa born...)

Dr. Nour Foundation for Art and Heritage organized a camp with theme Romanian Mona Lisa where the artists had to do Mona Lisa in their own vision (Romanian Mona Lisa at... Malta) and will soon publish a book about the work and life of Magdalena Rădulescu, where an entire chapter is dedicated to Romanian Mona Lisa.  

A Romanian businessman bought the manuscripts of philosopher Emil Cioran for EUR 405,000 and promise that will donate them to the Romanian State

Philosopher Emil Cioran (1911 - 1995)

Businessman George Brăiloiu, owner of Romanian energy consulting company KDF Energy, bought, through his company, the entire lot of manuscripts belonging to Romanian philosopher Emil Cioran. The manuscripts were sold at Binoche and Giquello Auction House from Paris on 7th of April 2011, for the price of EUR 405,000 from 100,000, the initial estimation. 

George Brăiloiu, the buyer of Emil Cioran manuscripts

The businessman has announced that he will donate the manuscripts to the Romanian state.

Library access of Emil Cioran

Some of the documents sold at the auction were: Cioran’s BA diploma (EUR 17,000), his bachelor degree diploma (EUR 8,000), the manuscript of Cioran’s famous work “The Transfiguration of Romania” (EUR 20,000), The Book of Delusions (EUR  13,000),Tears and Saints (EUR 8,000).

Manuscript of "Transfiguration of Romania" by Emil Cioran

At the auction, the Romanian National Television channel, TVR, also participated, as well as the Central University Library “Carol I” of Bucharest (BCU) and they each had managed to purchase some of the auctioned manuscripts, until they were announced that a Romanian bought the whole lot. The Romanian Ministry of Culture didn't take part to the Auction because of the lake of money.

Emil Cioran would have turned 100 on April 8.

Emil Cioran

Cioran was a Romanian philosopher and essayist, born in Răşinari, part of Sibiu County. In 1937, he left to Paris and never came back to his home country. Skepticism and negativism characterize Cioran’s works, which mostly focus on an atmosphere of torment and torture. He is also a well-known critic of his home country, whose hesitation and shyness towards life he often showed dismay against. He published both in Romanian and French and some of his works are: On the Heights of Despair (Pe culmile disperării), The Transfiguration of Romania (Schimbarea la faţă a României), My country (Mon pays/Ţara mea), Tears and Saints (Lacrimi şi sfinţi).

World's most expensive painting of Pablo Picasso

"Nude, Green Leaves and Bust", Pablo Picasso

The paint “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust” done by Pablo Picasso in 1932 is the most expensive painting. The work was sold in May 2010 at New York’s Christie’s auction house for 106.5 million dollars (76.2 million euros). By this amount, the painting set a world record.

        The painting depicts the Spanish artist’s lover and muse, Marie-Therese Walter, lying nude with the painter looking on. Picasso met Walter when he was 45 and she was 17, outside the Galeries Lafayette in Paris, while he was still married to Olga Khoklova.     

InArt, did you know that....

China map and flag

China become the biggest art market worldwide and overcame United Stated of America and Great Britain. In 2010, the total selling on Chinese art market (Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai) was 3.1 billion of dollars (source Artprice)

Fondul Certinvest Arta Românescă – Certinvest Romanian Art Found – the first investments found in art from Romania in only few weeks. The minimum subscription value in this Found is 5.000 euro which represents 2 units of the Found. The objective for the profit is 15% per year for the euro investments



"Pub at Rucăr" by Nicolae Grigorescu

 “Pub at Rucăr”, by Nicolae Grigorescu is the most valuable art work sold at a public auction of Artmark on 23th of March 2011



”The bride (Elena Neamtu’s portrait)” by Magdalena Rădulescu, oil on canvas, signed below in brown on the right side, dated 1943, 73x62 cm, Dr. Nour collection

The yearly average profit of Romanian art market in the last 15 years (1995-2010) was 27,04%

”Three characters” by Magdalena Rădulescu, bone painted with wooden holder, 7.5x14x7.5 cm, with a handwritten inscription on the holder, Dr. Nour collection

In 2010, the volume of transactions on the Romanian art market was  8 million Euros

"Nude, Green Leaves and Bust" by Pablo Picasso

The paint “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust” done by Pablo Picasso in 1932 is the most expensive painting in the world. The work was sold in May 2010 at New York’s Christie’s auction house for 106.5 million dollars (76.2 million euros). By this amount, the painting set a world record.

  

There are 7 Auction Houses  in Romania (Alis, Goldart, Monavissa, Pogany, Artmark, ARAArtCollection from Bucharest and Quadro from Cluj Napoca)

The first Romanian Auction House (Alis) was born in 1990