Samuel Mützner

Background

Mützner was born in Bucharest, Romania, on December 13, 1884. He was born into a middle-class family.

Education

Between 1899 and 1900 Samuel Mützner studied at the Bucharest National University of Arts with professors Eugen Voinescu, Wladimir Hegel and George Demetrescu Mirea and then for three years at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, with Karl Raupp, Anton Azbe and Simon Hollosy.

In 1903, at the age of 19, Mützner went to Paris, where he enrolled at the Académie Julian (now ESAG Penninghen), from which he graduated in 1908 after studying with Paul Laurens. Then he continued his education at the New Academy of Painting (Academia Nouvelle de Peinture) in Algiers, where he studied since 1910.

Career

Mützner created his own style after two years spent alongside Claude Monet in Giverny. There between 1908 and 1910 he painted landscapes in the Pointillism technique.

He exhibited for the first time in 1906 and in 1912 in Romania; Mützner opened an exhibition at the Romanian Athenaeum with his works in France and Algeria. During 1912-1918, he made trips to the Middle East (Tunisia) and Japan, where he spent three years, 1912-1915.

Samuel Mützner visited Oceania and South America but worked mostly in Venezuela in Caracas where he lived between 1916 and 1918. In 1918 he held an exhibition in Caracas. Here, at Club Venezuela, he presented a series of small format screens, made in August 1918 on the island of Margarita, producing his works in techniques and procedures still unknown among Caracas artists. He left Venezuela in 1919, however during his brief stay there, he greatly influenced Venezuelan artists of the Circle of Fine Arts (Círculo de Bellas Artes).

Mützner returned to the country in 1923. After that year, he became interested in the peasant subjects, perhaps under the influence of his wife, the painter Rodica Maniu. He was particularly concerned about the issue of life in the Romanian village. The couple worked together at Sopârlita, a picturesque village in Oltenia, perfect for the artists, where the family of his wife resided.

Starting from 1937, Samuel Mützner gradually removed from public life as well as his artistic career. After the war, Samuel Mützner's situation became highly insecure, because of the new regime, who considered him "the bourgeoisie" and started to apply sanctions against him.

Achievements

• Samuel Mützner was a distinguished painter of the 20th century. He was widely known for his numerous landscapes. Many artworks by the artist have been sold at auction, including Kyoto Spring sold at Artmark Spring Auction in 2012 for $34,368.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Minaret la Balcic

  • In the Garden

  • The Gate of Lama Temple, Peking

  • Stradă din Sevilla

  • Marina

  • Scenă japoneză

  • Primăvară la Kyoto

  • Natură statică cu muschetar

  • Stradă în Tunis

  • Sevilla

  • La Moși

  • Nuntă la sat

  • Peisaj de amiază

  • The Sunflower Has Grown

  • Gardens in Sevilla

  • Woman Playing the Guitar

  • Landscape from Corsica (Ajaccio)

  • Mahoane la mal

  • Primăvară la Kyoto

  • Roses in Balcic

  • Woman with Japanese Umbrella

  • Landscape from Giverny

  • Cobra Dance

  • Veneţia

  • Antique Legend

  • Patio la Sevilla

  • Chrysanthemums in Japanese Vase

  • Cișmigiu Garden

  • Haystack at Giverny

  • Iarmaroc de Moși

  • Carusel la Moși

  • Figaro

  • Balcic Hills

  • Vară

  • Marina

  • Japanese Garden

  • Vedere din Balcic

  • Bridge in Venice

  • Pagota in Kiyotaki

  • Peisaj cu turmă de oi

  • Oriental Dancer

  • Springtime in Balcic

  • Countryside Flowers

  • Vedută venețiană

  • Self-Portrait at Easel

  • Cișmigiu

  • Tatar Quarter in Balcic

  • Quarter in Tunis

  • Landscape in Giverny

  • Intimitate

  • With Mum

  • Târg în Grande Jatte

  • Cafe in Gabes

  • Turkeys

  • Zi de primăvară

  • Potecă prin peisaj provensal

  • Algerian Scene

  • Springtime

  • Sunset Effect on the Lake

  • Gabès Cityscape

  • Woman in the Garden, at Șopârlița

  • Jeune femme de profil

  • Fishing Nets Drying

  • Quarter in Tunis

  • Peasant Dish with Apples

  • Balcic Gulf

  • Odaliscă

  • Corn Field

Connections

Samuel Mützner married the painter Rodica Maniu in 1923. She was the sister of the poet Adrian Maniu.

Spouse:

Rodica Maniu

brother-in-law:

Adrian Maniu

References

• Pictori Evrei din Romania: 1848-1948 (Jewish Painters in Romania)
  1996