The Museum of Visual Arts

Galați, Romania

Student: Maria Andone,”Emil Racoviță” Theoretical High-School

Coordinating teacher: Mariana Constantin
The Museum of Visual Arts of Galați is the first museum of Romanian
contemporary art from our country (and the only one until 2002, when a
second one was established in Bucharest), which was conceived to
show the newest trends in plastic arts. Inaugurated in 1967, the
museum holds in its patrimony Romanian works of art from the second
half of the 19th century and the 20th century made by artists such as
Teodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Theodor Pallady, Gheorghe
Petrașcu, Nicolae Tonitza. It also contains creations of the Romanian
avantgarde representatives among Victor Brauner, M.H. Maxy, Mattis-
Teutsch, Marcel Iancu, Irina Codreanu sau Milița Petrașcu, as well as
works from artists that make a bridge between the first and second half
of the 20th century: Corneliu Baba, Alexandru Ciucurencu, Ion
Țuculescu, Henri H. Catargi, Rudolf Schweitzer – Cumpăna, Camil
Ressu.
Nicolae Grigorescu, painter
Camil Ressu, ” Peasant sowing”
Nicolae Tonitza - "Portrait of the Boy"

● Nicholae Tonitza completed his studies at

the National School of Fine Arts in Iasi and
then in München, at the Academy of Fine
Arts. He later specialized in Paris. He is a
painter of shimmering colors, of light, of
exalted tones.
● The museum has a dynamic structure by
organizing exhibitions, micro-exhibitions,
various events with the audience
(concerts, debates, art exhibitions, art
history lessons, film screenings, etc.),
symposiums, creative camps and other
programs which promote the most
significant orientations in Romanian
contemporary art in the country and
abroad.
Preparing the visit to the museum
● First, we have talked to the painter and the
museographer Gheorghe Miron about the
exhibited works: paintings, sculptures,
tapestry, other works of art.
● He has offered us all the
information we needed, in
order to create a ”treasure
hunt”. Here, he was
presenting us a special
painting that we have
chosen for the follow-up
activity with the class.
At school, we have created the questionnaire for the
”treasure hunt” and then we have prepared some copies for
the students.
The visit of 9th B class at The Museum of Visual Arts
Explaining the task...
And the ”treasure hunt” began!
Searching for the answers to the questions...
Admiring the huge tapestry of Cela Neamţu-”Altar”.
● It is made of colourful
wool. The technique of
this type of work is
handmade, embroidered,
very difficult and it is
executed with a 1/1 scale
project placed behind the
weaving yarns. The work
has received the highest
distinction at the 2006
edition of the "French
Fine Arts Salon",
respectively ,the gold
medal.
We continued our journey and reached the painting "Hill” by
Horia Bernea.
His way of working made him different from the
other artists, but especially the themes
approached in his works made him unique. „Hill"
is part of a suite of 12 works with the same
theme, the same hill, from the same position
facing the subject, only that they are painted to
represent the 12 months of a year. This painting
actually symbolizes the passing of a man's life,
a very profound subject that Horia Bernea
interpreted as no one else. The month
represented in the work from our museum is
November.
Follow-up activity: the students had to paint the same landscape
from the painting ”Hill”, reprezenting the four seasons of the year.

● Spring
represented
by Grosu
Elena, 9th B
Winter represented by Olaru Silviu, 9th B
Summer represented by Vanghele Jenica, 9th B
Autumn represented by Neagu Alexandra, 12th F
You are invited to visit our Museum of Visual
Arts from Galați, Romania!