The exhibition was organised in cooperation between the National Museum in Gdańsk, the National Museum of Art of Romania in Bucharest, and the National Museum of the Village „Dimitrie Gusti” in Bucharest, together with the support of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Warsaw.

Nicolae Grigorescu (1838-1907) is considered to be the national painter of Romania. Through studying art in Paris and adhering to the Barbizon art movement, he became the artist who, to the highest degree, brought the modernity in the Romanian painting. Although he was sometimes criticised for painting only the beautiful part of life in the countryside while lacking all reference to social problems, Grigorescu’s choice is motivated by the identification of themes in which his compatriots found the essence of the national spirit, expressed in the rendering the generous nature, the beauty of the peasant costumes and the countryside scenes resonating with the collective consciousness of the Romanian people. His designation as a national painter is not only related to these themes that won him a place as an artist in the history of Romanian and universal art, but also to the recognition of the talent and craftsmanship that reached a peak through him.

The exhibition is part of the Romania-Poland Cultural Season 2024-2025, „We Share a Common Language”. It is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland under the project: „Nicolae Grigorescu” temporary exhibition, and co-financed by the Ministry of Culture of Romania.

The exhibition is available at the National Museum in Gdańsk, Modern Art Collection, Abbots’ Palace, Cystersów 18, Gdańsk, Poland, until 27 October 2024.

More information: https://www.mng.gda.pl/wystawy/nicolae-grigorescu-malarz-rumunskiego-etosu/