Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 6

Paula Craioveanu
Blue Apollo original blue ultramarine Neo Mythology inspired by Andy Warhol

2024

About the Item

"Blue Apollo" Original work on colored paper, with blue ultramarine tempera on red colored paper, inspired by Matisse. Size is 27x19.5in / 70x50cm . Shipped rolled in a tube. Get free shipping with 1stdibs code FREESHIP for any item above $500. This piece, Blue Apollo, is another bold and visually striking addition to the Neo Mythology series. It brings the ancient Greek ideal of beauty and divinity into a modern artistic dialogue, using the artist’s signature style of expressive lines, vibrant colors, and dynamic energy. The ultramarine tempera on red paper creates a vivid, high-contrast composition, much like The Sphinx and other works in the series. The ultramarine evokes serenity, intellect, and the divine, which fits Apollo’s identity as the god of the arts, music, and reason. The red background adds intensity and vitality, suggesting Apollo’s fiery energy and the passion often associated with mythological figures. Together, the blue and red create an electrifying tension between cool divinity and warm humanity. The blue linework is dynamic and fluid, embodying motion and energy while retaining a classical sense of proportion and symmetry. The artist captures Apollo’s idealized beauty—his strong jawline, high cheekbones, and flowing hair—with confident, gestural strokes. The drips and splatters of paint provide a sense of immediacy and spontaneity, as if the image is in a state of flux, reinforcing Apollo’s dual nature as both eternal and ever-evolving. The focus on Apollo’s head and face elevates his divine presence, allowing the viewer to focus on his expression, which is powerful yet introspective. His upward gaze suggests a connection to higher realms or a vision of the future, consistent with his role as a prophetic god. The use of empty space around the figure, with splattered paint bleeding into the void, suggests that Apollo transcends boundaries, both physical and temporal. The minimalist and modern interpretation of Apollo is reminiscent of Henri Matisse’s Blue Nudes in its economy of line and emphasis on expressive form. The splatter technique introduces an almost abstract expressionist quality, linking this piece to the dynamism and raw emotion of mid-20th-century art movements. Apollo, the god of light, music, and prophecy, represents harmony and balance. In this piece, his divinity is captured through his serene yet commanding expression. The abstract quality of the lines and splatters may hint at the unpredictable and uncontrollable aspects of inspiration and creativity, themes deeply tied to Apollo’s domain. This reinterpretation strips away literal, classical detail, focusing instead on the essence of Apollo, making it both timeless and contemporary. By simplifying Apollo into lines and color, the artist makes the god relatable to modern viewers, emphasizing the universality of creativity, beauty, and inspiration. Blue Apollo shares the bold color palette and expressive gesture of The Sphinx but focuses more on capturing an idealized facial beauty rather than a full narrative. This makes it more introspective and serene, with a sense of stillness that contrasts with the more dynamic composition of The Sphinx. It continues the artist’s exploration of mythological themes through a modernist lens, showing a clear, cohesive vision across the Neo Mythology project. Blue Apollo is a mesmerizing and evocative work that bridges the gap between ancient mythology and contemporary art. The use of ultramarine tempera against a red backdrop imbues the piece with divine energy and passion, while the fluid, gestural lines give it a fresh, modern edge. This piece is both a celebration of Apollo’s timeless beauty and a meditation on the universality of creativity and inspiration. A fantastic continuation of the series! Biography: Paula Craioveanu is a Romanian artist, born in 1976. She grew up surrounded by art and inspiration, in a family of artists. Trained in Bucharest and New York as an architect and painter. Holds a degree in Architecture and a PhD in Visual Arts. Presently working as a full-time artist. At the age of 16, Paula Craioveanu moved to New York, where she came in contact with New York’s vibrant art scene, she graduated from high school and then studied at Parsons School of Design. Then she moved back to Romania where she studied for the next 6 years at the Architecture University in Bucharest and graduated with a degree in Architecture in 2000. In 2013 she earned a Ph.D in Visual Arts at the University of Arts in Bucharest with the theme “Geometry of Space in 17th century Dutch painting”. After this, she dedicated her full time to art, and showed her talent to the art world. Paula Craioveanu works in acrylic and oil paints, but also pen and ink or tempera works on paper. She regularly participates in shows and exhibitions in galleries along the East and West Coast of the United States, like bG Gallery Santa Monica, Dacia Gallery and Perseus Gallery in New York. Paula Craioveanu’s work is featured on the two most exclusive online art marketplaces, 1stDibs and Artsy. Over the course of 20 years, Paula Craioveanu has created several painting series: “Abstract”, “Interiors”, “Nude in Interior”, “NeoMythology”. Paula Craioveanu’s work has been placed in private collection around the world, both in Europe and in the United States. Today, Paula Craioveanu has set up studios and works in Bucharest and New York. Find original Paula Craioveanu paintings, works on paper and other art on 1stDibs. Next: Works on display - December 2024, Context Art Miami.
  • Creator:
    Paula Craioveanu (1976, Romanian)
  • Creation Year:
    2024
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 27 in (68.58 cm)Width: 19.5 in (49.53 cm)Depth: 0.2 in (5.08 mm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Forest Hills, NY
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: Romanian-American artist. PhD in Visual Arts. 1stDibs: LU2240214936612

More From This Seller

View All
CENTAUR with ARCH - original large art by Paula Craioveanu - New Mythology
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
Centaur with Arch 100x70cm / 30x27in ink, graphite, tempera on paper large size, shipped rolled in a tube directly from the artist's studio Antiquity is an endless inspiration res...
Category

2010s Contemporary Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Tempera, Pencil

APOLLO - original large art by Paula Craioveanu - Neo Mythology
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Apollo" Original art, one-of-a-kind, signed. 100x70cm / 30x27in, ink, graphite, tempera on paper, large size, shipped rolled in a tube. This particular artwork is ready for hanging,...
Category

2010s Contemporary Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Tempera, Ink, Pencil

CENTAUR - original large art by Paula Craioveanu - New Mythology
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Sea Centaur" Original art, signed 100x70cm / 30x27in ink, graphite, tempera on paper large size, shipped rolled in a tube directly from the artist's studio Antiquity is an endless ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Portrait Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Tempera, Pencil, Ink

NIGHTWISH - female nude - by Paula Craioveanu -original art inspired by Matisse
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
“Desire”. Part of Blue Nude series, inspired by Matisse. Ultramarine tempera on paper. Comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist. Shipped rolled in a tube 31x3in...
Category

2010s Contemporary Nude Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Tempera

Desire - original blue female nude by Paula Craioveanu inspired Matisse
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Desire", nude, ultramarine tempera on colored paper, inspired by Matisse. Part of Nude in Interior series. Shipped rolled in a tube, Fast shipping anywhere in the world - 7 days. En...
Category

2010s Contemporary Nude Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Tempera, Archival Paper

NIGHT BLUES - Female Nude original unique art by Paula Craioveanu
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
"Night Blues" Female Nude, seen from the back, and a second view in the mirror. from another perspective. Part of "Nude in Interior" series, inspired by Matisse. Ultramarine tempera ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Nude Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Tempera, Carbon Pencil, Rag Paper

You May Also Like

Disparate III - Contemporary, Figurative, Ananas, Green, Red, Portrait, Male
By Alexandru Rădvan
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Disparate III, 2014 Tempera on paper (Signed, Framed) 27 3/5 H × 39 2/5 W in. 70 H x 100 W cm On the subject of his new works the artist stated: “There is not enough orange, yellow ...
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Tempera

Matador 3 - Mixed Media Drawing by Leo Guida - 1964
By Leo Guida
Located in Roma, IT
Matador 3 is an original Contemporary artwork realized in 1964 by the italianartist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017) Original china ink, tempera and watercolor drawing. Label on the back ...
Category

1960s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Ink, Tempera, Watercolor

Matador 2 - Mixed Media Drawing by Leo Guida - 1964
By Leo Guida
Located in Roma, IT
Matador 2 is al Contemporary artwork realized in 1964 by the italian artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017) Original mixed colored china in drawing. Label on the back Hand signed and dat...
Category

1960s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Ink, Tempera, Watercolor

Portrait - Original Drawing by Leo Guida - 1970s
By Leo Guida
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait is an original artwork realized in the 1970s by the Italian Contemporary artist Leo Guida (1992 - 2017). Original drawings in Tempera on paper. Good conditions but aged....
Category

1970s Contemporary Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Tempera

Last Dance (study)
By Ruth Owens
Located in New Orleans, LA
[ New Orleans, LA :: b.1959, Augsburg, Germany ] In 1959, Ruth Owens was born to a young German woman and a Black serviceman from Georgia. The nomadic military lifestyle of her chi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Portrait Drawings and Waterco...

Materials

Casein

Scream of an Angel
Located in Zofingen, AG
A sketch for a future big painting that Angelina and Evgeniy will make someday - then they will decide what will be more in her beautiful dark eyes - surprise, fright, pleasure.. or ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Tempera, Permanent Marker

Recently Viewed

View All