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Paula CraioveanuUnder the Veil 1 (Break Free) original art oil/canvas by Paula Craioveanu2020
2020
About the Item
Under the Veil 1 (Break Free) - original art - oil on canvas, 80x60cm./ 31.5x23.5in
Female nude with veil covering her head.
This painting was the 2nd in a series of paintings representing female nudes covered by a veil, the first one was "Nude in the Mirror" inspired by Renne Magritte famous work, "The Lovers" from 1928. The painting by Renne Magritte, depicts a man and a woman locked in an embrace and kissing each other through cloths wrapped around their heads. The mysterious scene invites viewers to question why the lovers are unable to truly communicate or touch.
In my paintings, the mysterious woman is alone, here in the middle of the sea, surrounded by water, with the head and part of the body covered by a veil.
Shipped as it is, stretched. Free shipping with 1st dibs code. Shipping 7 days, package weighs about 10lbs.
"Under the Veil" becomes a striking metaphor for the interplay between the visible self and the hidden realms of the subconscious. The draped body is no longer merely a form; it is the very essence of the human experience—our physical, emotional, and psychological dimensions shrouded in layers of mystery and introspection. The veil, in this context, transforms into a visual representation of the subconscious mind, concealing but shaping the figure underneath.
The hidden, veiled body evokes self-concealment, privacy, and the unknowable depths of the subconscious. By draping the physical form, the artist suggests that much of who we are—our emotions, thoughts, and desires—remains hidden, even from ourselves. The curvature of the body under the veil hints at vulnerability, femininity, and strength. This duality is critical: while the figure is shrouded and concealed, her presence remains grounded, resolute, and central. The body’s integration with the veil suggests that the subconscious is inseparable from the self. It is not merely a “hidden layer,” but an integral, defining force.
The red veil takes on a profound role, symbolizing the subconscious mind as a barrier that both conceals and protects. Red’s emotional connotations (passion, intensity, power, fear) suggest the raw, primal aspects of the subconscious—its energy, creativity, and sometimes turbulence. The veil’s fluid draping over the body mirrors how the subconscious flows, covering and shaping the conscious self without ever fully revealing its secrets. Unlike Magritte’s veils in The Lovers, which obstruct external connections, the veil here turns inward. It creates a boundary between the figure’s physical self and her inner depths. This introspective quality makes the work deeply psychological.
Surrounding the figure in water underscores the connection to emotions, the subconscious, and the depth of the psyche. In many traditions, water symbolizes both life and the unknown—vast, ever-changing, and mysterious.The ripples around the figure suggest subtle disturbances—possibly the ongoing activity of the subconscious mind or the emotions stirred by self-reflection. These ripples, though gentle, indicate that the subconscious is not static but alive and dynamic.
The seated figure’s position within the water suggests she is both immersed in and separate from her subconscious, reflecting a delicate balance between self-awareness and self-exploration.
The figure is both revealed and concealed, mirroring the way we often present only fragments of ourselves to the world while keeping much hidden. The veil suggests that our subconscious defines our outward self, even when its inner workings remain hidden. The shrouded figure evokes vulnerability, but her upright posture reflects resilience—a recognition of the subconscious as a source of both power and mystery.
The feminine form beneath the veil introduces a layer of gendered symbolism. It reflects themes of femininity, inner power, and mystery, while the draped veil could symbolize societal constraints or imposed roles. By covering the female body, the artist could be commenting on the tension between objectification (as a nude form) and individuality (as a concealed, introspective being).
The solitary figure, veiled and surrounded by water, conveys a sense of introspection and isolation. This solitude is not negative but necessary—a retreat into the self to explore the depths of the subconscious. The lack of a visible face heightens the universality of the image. Without facial features, the figure becomes an everywoman—a symbol of humanity’s shared inner struggles.
While inspired by René Magritte’s The Lovers, this piece diverges in its inward focus. In Magritte’s work, the veils separate lovers, creating barriers to intimacy. Here, the veil separates the figure from her own subconscious, drawing the viewer into the mystery of her inner world. Where Magritte’s veils deny connection, this veil suggests introspection—a journey into the self rather than a disconnection from others. This reinterpretation deepens the emotional and symbolic resonance.
“Under the Veil” is a powerful exploration of the subconscious and its relationship to identity, emotion, and introspection. The hidden figure evokes mystery and vulnerability while radiating strength and composure. By merging the symbolic elements of water and the veil with the feminine form, the artist creates a poignant meditation on the layers of the self, the beauty of introspection, and the universal nature of the subconscious mind. This work stands as a poetic homage to the unseen forces that shape who we are.
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 colour 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:2020
- Dimensions:Height: 31.5 in (80.01 cm)Width: 23.5 in (59.69 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Forest Hills, NY
- Reference Number:Seller: Romanian-American artist. PhD in Visual Arts.1stDibs: LU2240214582122
Paula Craioveanu
Trained in Bucharest and New York as architect and painter. Holds a degree in Architecture and a PhD in Visual Arts. Presently working as a full-time artist.
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