1. NICOLAE GRIGORESCU Nicolae Grigorescu was born on 15 May 1838 in Dâmboviţa and he died on 21 July 1907

2.  He was the best painter of the 19 th century. He was born in a family of peasants. Since the age of 12, after a short apprenticeship in the workshop of a painter (A.Chladek) he started to paint icons to earn his existence. Later he received orders to paint for different churches, he started to paint and one of his panting was noticed through the realistic interpretation of saints and through bright colors.

3. THE ENSEMBLE FROM THE CHURCH OF MONASTERY AGAPIA 1858-1860

4.  Under the influence of union ideas and the ballads of D.Bolintineanu, Grigorescu tried the historical composition (‘Mihai scapand stindardul’ – ‘Mihai Dropping the Flag: some allegorical drawings, naive but honest, on the theme of union). In 1861 with the help of Mihail Kogalniceanu, he received a scholarship and he went to Paris, where he worked for one year in a workshop of an art school and then he joined the group of Barbizon. In the same period, Grigorescu studied the greatest masters of universal painting (Rembrandt,Rubens,Gericault,Courbet), after which he made many copies. In France, in our country, and in 1873-1874 in Italy, his talent was confirmed in many paintings full of poetry (“Paznicul din Chailly” – ‘Doorkeeper from Chailly’,”B ă trâna cârpind”–‘Old woman sewing’, ‘Pifferaro’)

5. DOORKEEPER FROM CHAILLY

6.  Artist-citizen animated of patriotism, Grigorescu was called in 1877 as reporter on front, participating at the most significant events. There he worked with safety and speed to sketch hundreds of drawings, which restore significant points and tips of the War for Independence.

7.  Based on the events, he painted hundreds of paintings permeated by warm humanity, of solidarity with soldiers:  “Spionul” – The Spy  ”Santinela” – The Cop  ”Convoi de prizonieri turci”- Turkish Prisoners Caravan  ”Atacul de la Smardan” – The Attack from Smardan

8. THE ATTACK FROM SMARDAN

9. ARTILLERISTS MARCHING

10.  After the war, disappointed by Romanian regime, in 1881 Grigorescu went to Paris. In France he had a rich activity, which culminated in 1887 with an exhibition, after which he was recognized as a European level painter. In this age Grigorescu made a valuable collection of paintings especially landscapes which represent corners of Bretone and Normande cities and marine, remarkable through the transparency of the atmosphere.

11. FISHERLADY

12.  When he returned to his country, Grigorescu focused for two decades on the transposition of the life from our village and the landscapes with Romanian atmosphere in his paintings.  Al.Vlahuţ ă named him “rapsod al p ă mântului nostru” – (singer of our land)

13. THE LITTLE GIRL WITH THE RED SCARF

14. FOUR OXEN CART

15. THE ORATII INN

16. OXEN CARTS AT DUSK

17. DEAD NATURE WITH BIRDS

18. LITTLE CABIN IN THE WOODS

19. SHEPPERD

20. THE GIRL WITH THE TURBAN

21. RETURNING FROM THE FIELDS

22. DASIES

23. ON A MOUNTAIN PEAK

24. LOGOFETEASA

25. PEASANT LADY FROM MUSCEL

26. FLOWERY POT