Lascar Vorel
Encyclopedia
Lascăr Vorel was a Romania
n Post-Impressionist
painter whose style was linked to Expressionism
.
parents in Iaşi
, Vorel was the great-grandson of Anton Vorel, a well-known pharmacist and herbalist
who had arrived in Moldavia
from Bohemia
. He spent much of his early life in Piatra Neamţ
, where his brothers Constantin and Tudor were to inherit the Vorel pharmacist business (being the last generation to own the practice before its nationalization
by the Communist regime
).
Lascăr Vorel studied in the German Empire
, where he subsequently lived a long part of his life. He attended the Academy of Fine Arts
in Munich
, where he was taught by Franz Stuck
, and developed a style influenced by the Vienna Secession
and other branches of Art Nouveau
.
In time, he adopted an artistic vision which owed inspiration to Paul Cézanne
's geometrical guidelines. Although he refused to join any particular group of artists, his work shares common traits with that of several Expressionists (including George Grosz
). Many of his paintings are satirical
in theme, and center on grotesque
caricature
s of bourgeois society and its entertainers. Most of them are painted in gouache
, and are dominated by blue, grey, and violet tones.
His main stylistic choice was contrasted by works depicting his home region: concentrating on wider compositions
and landscapes
which included more emotional portraits of peasants and artisans, he made use of lighter tones of color.
After the outbreak of World War I
, Vorel incorporated pacifist
protests into his paintings — this was the last major subject of his art before his death in Germany (which occurred before the end of the conflict).
Since 1993, Piatra Neamţ has housed a Lascăr Vorel Gallery (part of the Neamţ County
Museum Complex), which is the center of a "Vorel Biennale" exhibiting works by contemporary painters.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n Post-Impressionist
Post-Impressionism
Post-Impressionism is the term coined by the British artist and art critic Roger Fry in 1910 to describe the development of French art since Manet. Fry used the term when he organized the 1910 exhibition Manet and Post-Impressionism...
painter whose style was linked to Expressionism
Expressionism
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas...
.
Biography
Born to Czech-RomanianCzechs of Romania
The Czechs are an ethnic minority in Romania, numbering 3,938 people according to the 2002 census. The majority of Romanian Czechs live in the south-west of the country, with around 60% of them living in Caraş-Severin County, where they make up 0.7% of the population.As an officially recognised...
parents in Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
, Vorel was the great-grandson of Anton Vorel, a well-known pharmacist and herbalist
Herbalism
Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, herblore, and phytotherapy...
who had arrived in Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
from Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
. He spent much of his early life in Piatra Neamţ
Piatra Neamt
Piatra Neamț , , ; is the capital city of Neamţ County, in the historical region of Moldavia, eastern Romania. Because of its privileged location in the Eastern Carpathian mountains, it is considered one of the most picturesque cities in Romania...
, where his brothers Constantin and Tudor were to inherit the Vorel pharmacist business (being the last generation to own the practice before its nationalization
Nationalization in Romania
The nationalization of the means of production was a measure taken by Romania’s new Communist authorities in order to lay the foundation of socialism. The act that allowed this measure to take place was Law 119, adopted by the Great National Assembly on June 11, 1948...
by the Communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
).
Lascăr Vorel studied in the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
, where he subsequently lived a long part of his life. He attended the Academy of Fine Arts
Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich was founded 1808 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria in Munich as the "Royal Academy of Fine Arts" and is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany...
in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, where he was taught by Franz Stuck
Franz Stuck
Franz Stuck , Franz Ritter von Stuck after 1906, was a German symbolist/Art Nouveau painter, sculptor, engraver, and architect.-Life and career:...
, and developed a style influenced by the Vienna Secession
Vienna Secession
The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists, housed in the Vienna Künstlerhaus. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects...
and other branches of Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
.
In time, he adopted an artistic vision which owed inspiration to Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne was a French artist and Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne can be said to form the bridge between late 19th...
's geometrical guidelines. Although he refused to join any particular group of artists, his work shares common traits with that of several Expressionists (including George Grosz
George Grosz
Georg Ehrenfried Groß was a German artist known especially for his savagely caricatural drawings of Berlin life in the 1920s...
). Many of his paintings are satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
in theme, and center on grotesque
Grotesque
The word grotesque comes from the same Latin root as "Grotto", meaning a small cave or hollow. The original meaning was restricted to an extravagant style of Ancient Roman decorative art rediscovered and then copied in Rome at the end of the 15th century...
caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
s of bourgeois society and its entertainers. Most of them are painted in gouache
Gouache
Gouache[p], also spelled guache, the name of which derives from the Italian guazzo, water paint, splash or bodycolor is a type of paint consisting of pigment suspended in water. A binding agent, usually gum arabic, is also present, just as in watercolor...
, and are dominated by blue, grey, and violet tones.
His main stylistic choice was contrasted by works depicting his home region: concentrating on wider compositions
Composition (visual arts)
In the visual arts – in particular painting, graphic design, photography and sculpture – composition is the placement or arrangement of visual elements or ingredients in a work of art or a photograph, as distinct from the subject of a work...
and landscapes
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
which included more emotional portraits of peasants and artisans, he made use of lighter tones of color.
After the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Vorel incorporated pacifist
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
protests into his paintings — this was the last major subject of his art before his death in Germany (which occurred before the end of the conflict).
Since 1993, Piatra Neamţ has housed a Lascăr Vorel Gallery (part of the Neamţ County
Neamt County
Neamț is a county of Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia, with the county seat at Piatra Neamț. It has three communes, Bicaz-Chei, Bicazu Ardelean and Dămuc in Transylvania.-Demographics:...
Museum Complex), which is the center of a "Vorel Biennale" exhibiting works by contemporary painters.