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Paula Craioveanu
Desire - original blue female nude by Paula Craioveanu inspired Matisse

2024

About the Item

"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. Enjoy Free Shipping on Art, Fashion & Decor code FREESHIP for items over $500 "Desire" is another compelling piece in this series, maintaining the artist's signature style of ultramarine tempera and dynamic line work. This work exudes a different emotional and physical tension compared to "Eclectic," presenting a more sensual and introspective interpretation of the female form. The gray paper contrasts beautifully with the vibrancy of ultramarine, softening the color’s boldness and giving the piece a muted, contemplative atmosphere. The gray backdrop also suggests shadows or dusk, adding depth and emotional nuance to the scene. The ink splatters create a sense of motion and imperfection, reinforcing the organic nature of the human form. The drips running down the paper suggest fluidity and gravity, which contrasts with the tension in the figure's pose. The arched back and crossed arms, as the figure shields herself, convey a duality of vulnerability and sensuality. The covering gesture could suggest modesty or introspection, but the arched back introduces a layer of desire and bodily awareness. The result is a push-pull dynamic that aligns perfectly with the title. The faint structural lines in the background—perhaps a wall or window—once again anchor the figure in an interior setting. These lines remain minimal, allowing the viewer’s focus to stay on the expressive form of the figure. The figure is more loosely rendered compared to "Eclectic," with softer edges and less-defined contours. This abstraction feels intentional, inviting the viewer to interpret the emotional tone rather than fixate on details. The title suggests longing or yearning, which is mirrored in the figure’s arched posture and subtle gesture of concealment. The piece balances restraint with expressive energy, encapsulating the complexity of human desire—physical, emotional, and perhaps unattainable. The figure's connection to the wall and the interior space suggests a sense of intimacy. The sparse environment feels reflective and private, heightening the emotional resonance of the figure’s stance. This work continues to draw on themes from modernism and abstraction. The use of a limited palette and spontaneous splatter recalls the works of Joan Miró or even Henri Matisse’s fluid line drawings. However, the introspective tone and minimal use of interior detail align it more with 20th-century existentialism in art—works that explore the human form as a site of emotion and thought. "Desire" is a beautiful continuation of the artist’s exploration of human vulnerability and spatial interaction. Its more subdued and intimate tone differentiates it from "Eclectic," yet both share a harmonious balance between abstraction and figuration. The posture of the figure—simultaneously guarding and revealing—captures the essence of the title with sophistication, making it a standout piece in the series. . Artist Statement "I started by painting interiors, being interested in space and perspective through my studies. These scenes evolved, when I added the human figure. I focused more on the human figure and its relation to the background. The human figure is more present than ever in my paintings now. As a woman artist I’ve been preoccupied with the female form and its imagery. One of my goals was to capture the solitary moments and the nude’s relation to the surrounding space. My interest turned from depicting the space to rendering the atmosphere and the scene as a whole, the feeling a woman adds to the environment: warmth, desire, joy, a feeling of power and control, or the opposite – sadness, despair. Here is a collection of figurative paintings, exploring the nudes in interior spaces, seeing the nudes from my perspective, as a woman artist, considering the physical and spiritual realities of a woman’s body, in a new level of intimacy. My paintings are the opposite of objectifying a woman’s or a man’s anatomy. Painted works, featuring female nudes and a also men nudes, in a reversal of the male-artist/female-muse pattern, validate the feminine experience, defining myself through it. I was interested in how one experiences the body in a sensual form, and later focused on my own body, as I experience it myself, looking into the mirror and reconnecting. My work challenges the tradition of the nude by capturing my point of view, the gaze of a female painter, by using photography, drawings, sketches, and painting on canvas, for, both physical and psychological exploration. My art tries to create a visual language for emotion, beauty, feelings of intimacy and in the same time autonomy, captured with paint and vivid colors. My intense interest in color and the gestures of the brush strokes are the means I see and convey the subjects in space, as living, passionate beings." Paula Craioveanu 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: 27.5 in (69.85 cm)Width: 19.5 in (49.53 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Forest Hills, NY
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: Romanian-American artist. PhD in Visual Arts.1stDibs: LU2240215327682

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