Nicolae Tonitza was a Romanian painter, engraver, journalist, lithographer and art critic. He represented Post-Impressionism and Expressionism movements. The painter created an extensive gallery of portraits, featuring young children from infants to young kids. He also sketched for many contemporary, usually political and leftist magazines, such as Socialismul, Adevarul, Flacara, Hiena and Ramp.
Background
Nicolae Tonitza was born on April 13, 1886 in Barlad, Romania. Tonitza grew in a large family, together with four other siblings. He was the oldest child, who played an active role in the life of the youngsters from the earliest stages of their life.
Education
Initially, Nicolae studied at Iasi National School of Fine Arts (present-day George Enescu National University of Arts) under Gheorghe Popovici and Emanoil Bardasare. In 1903, he left for Italy together with University of Bucharest students under the direction of Grigore Tocilescu.
Some time later, the painter left for Munich, where he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts.
Also, he spent three years of his life in Paris, where he visited artists' studios and studied famous paintings.
Nicolae began his career as a publisher of political cartoons and contributor of art criticism articles to Arta Romana. Later, Nicolae created frescos in several churches of Moldavia and also held the post of an art teacher.
In 1916, Tonitza was drafted into the Army of Romanian Land Forces and fell prisoner to the Bulgarians during the Battle of Turtucaia. He was released in 1918.
In 1921, Tonitza started to paint prototypes for a ceramics factory and organized a ceramics exhibition. The same year, he moved to Valenii de Munte and decided to cease contributing to the press. During that period, the painter developed his characteristic style and themes, both of which were determined by his experiences as a father. Also, at that time, Nicolae started to work as an editor of the art magazine Artele Frumoase.
In 1922, the painter left for Transylvania, where he befriended Aurel Popp.
By 1931, he divided his time between Bucharest and Constanta, having agreed to paint the walls of Saint George's Church in the latter city. Two years later, in 1933, Tonitza was appointed a chair of Fine Arts Academy in Iasi. During the last years of his life, Nicolae took part in several national exhibitions and World Fairs. He also painted his last works around Balchik.
Alongside several other prominent cultural figures, Nicolae signed an appeal, leading to the creation of the Society for Maintaining Cultural Links between Romania and the Soviet Union in May 1935.
The Man of a New World (Portrait of a writer and polititian Gala Galaction)
Two Sisters
Back Nude
Unknown title
House in Dobrudja
Clown
The Woodman's Girl
Child in Rose
Little Girl
Tatar Women in Balcic
Ecaterina Tonitza
After War
Vase with Summer Flowers
Winter Landscape
Miner
Three Brothers (The Painter's Children)
Venice Girl (Putana)
Nude in the Thalamus
The Garden in Văleni
Workwoman
Spanish Woman
Scherzzo
Puppets
Ecaterina's Portrait (Wife of the Painter)
Calvary
Clematis Red Flowers
Turk Women in Balcic
Child Head
Girl
Japanese
The field
unknown title
Nude with Headscarf
Katyusha the Lipovan Girl
Little Girl With Flowery Headscarf
Reading
The Japanese Woman
Nuns
Kârdjali Landscape
Morning at Balcic
Little Tatar Girl (Rachiș Ali)
Self-Portrait
Lighthouse in Balchik
Iris and Lillies
On the Veranda
Afizé
Mangalia Beach
Unknown title
Still Life with Fruit
Little Tatar Girl
To light the lamp
Cafe in Mangalia
Little Tatar Girl
Queuing for Bread
Back Nude (Abibe)
unknown title
Back Nude
Little Tatar Girl
Girl in Pink
Tefik's Yard (in Mangalia)
Forester's Son
Unknown title
Girl in White
Nude
Mosque in Balcic
Petre Tonitza
Girl Head
Forest Edge (Balcic)
Good Night
Children's Room
Wild Roses
Portrait of a Biracial Woman
Clown
Mangalia Beach
Odalisque
Mangalia Beach
Politics
Tonitza's early association with Socialism was partly due to the interest, awoken in him by the leftist press, who was willing to reward his contributions at a time, when "one could not live solely by painting".
During the 1930s, Nicolae jokingly referred to himself as a supporter of Petre P. Carp, who was the Conservative leader.
Views
Tonitza objected to Nicolae Grigorescu's influence over younger generations, which led to "mannerism" and "nationalism" in choice of subjects and the emergent urbane art.
Membership
During the 1920s, Nicolae was the member of the Arta Romana group.
The Group of Four
1926
Personality
Despite his fame, Nicolae continued to live an impoverished and hectic existence, which probably contributed to the decline of his health.