Auctions, exhibitions, vernissages, all these events are a fantastic opportunity to bring Bucharest into the spot-light. An art auction, for instance, is a unique occasion to acquaint multitudes of people worldwide with the cultural realities in our country.
In Bucharest space, a series of Auction Houses operate, their main purpose being promoting the cultural heritage. By means of these institutions, the Romanians’ art is being made known throughout the world.
“Acquainting, auction by auction, thousands of people who, on the one hand visit the displays, and on the other hand access the websites of the auction houses with artworks of great value, is tantamount to a remarkable promoting of the national art, not only within Europe, but also on either side of the Atlantic. Then, precisely because every display is accompanied by the materials published on the auction website, it is possessed of an educational function as well, and it is almost impossible that, subsequent to the consistent contemplation thereof, the art consumer would not wish to know more about Romania. And implicitly, about the “famous citadel of Dâmboviţa” [translator’s note: Bucharest]. In effect, the finality of every auction house’s effort, doubled by the aesthetic experience of its experts, lies in the agreement of the perceptions recovered on the plane of sensibility. And believe us, that is much more important than the financial success!” explain AraArt representatives.
The Romanian Art is Sought After by the Romanian Collectors
Being barely in its preadolescent period, the Bucharest of art auctions has been developing year by year, trying to gain ground on a market in which the exact hour is set in the great world metropolises.
The representatives of “Casa Alis / Alis House” tell us that the proposals within the art auctions conducted in the capital target especially Romanian authors. “Just as the Hungarian authors are best-sellers in Budapest, the Czech ones in Prague, and so forth, the Romanian artists belong here, in the country. All throughout our activity, we had works by Russian and Ukrainian artists that were bought by Art Galleries in their home countries,” specifies Ion Rizea, Alis’ Administrator.
The heritage art remains at the top of the Romanian public preferences, which is also confirmed by the most recent auction conducted by Artmark. The event that took place a couple of days ago marked out the best transition of the year 2019 as well. Nicolae Tonitza’s “Lecţia / The Lesson” was auctioned for EUR 190,000, the artist maintaining thus his leading position at the top of the most sought-after Romanian painters.
The auction also brought a series of Author Records. Artmark representatives recall, within this context, works such as “Ţărăncuţe din Sălişte / Country-Girls in Sălişte” by Ştefan Dumitrescu, “Sfânta Treime şi Sfinţii Ierarhi / Holy Trinity and the Holy Hierarchs” by Gheorghe Tattarescu, “Adam şi Eva / Adam and Eve” by Dem Demetrescu. The collectors attending the event auctioned a time record as well – 20 minutes for the work “Ardealul / Transylvania” by Constantin Daniel Rosenthal.
Bucharest, Within a European Context
Among the tourists visiting Bucharest, there are many passionate art lovers coming to the capital of Romania with the definite purpose of participating in certain auctions. Even though the phenomenon has not reached such a level so as we would speak about a tourism of investments in the Romanian art, it is evident that it stirs up the foreigners’ interest more and more.
“The interest toward the cultural object put up for auction by the Romanian art market is a reality. Except that, you see, just as in any other European country, our cultural goods considered as being of interest and national value are protected by the law. So, in purchasing a piece of artwork, not only the foreigners, but the Romanians with a desire to make investments in art as well, should not dismiss or neglect the fact that the auctioned object has a double value: the cultural one, and only then the material one. This is why by all means the acquisition per se should be backed by expertise and, why not, by conscience over the spiritual value of the auctioned object. Romania has its laws as well! Which are not bad. Only if they would be also observed. It may seem paradoxical, but the process of awareness-raising of the responsibility toward the cultural heritage which at a first glance is a matter of common sense, has a long way to go. Very long,” nuance the AraArt representatives.
Author: Ștefania Enache
Photo: Corina Gheorghe
