Irises 

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Irises", an oil painting by Constantin Piliuta. Editor: My first thought is how sweetly melancholic this feels. The subdued colours, that off-white background...it's like a memory of summer, softened by time. Curator: It’s fascinating how a simple subject, a bouquet of irises, can evoke such feelings. Floral paintings were of course a popular genre historically, gracing aristocratic homes, but Piliuta's treatment feels less ornamental and more introspective. Editor: Introspective, yes! It's the brushwork, isn't it? See how loose and almost impatient it is, especially in the petals? He’s capturing a feeling, not botanically accurate irises. Like he quickly sketched this out of his memory to seize a beautiful sensation before it fades away. Curator: Precisely! It challenges the academic painting traditions. By focusing on the impression rather than the detail, Piliuta aligns with the modernist move towards subjective experience and the expression of inner feelings. Editor: I also enjoy the choice of colors. That dusky rose fading into a purple. And this clay-coloured vase contrasts nicely with it, rooting these beauties. There is a very slight contrast on the chromatic level to deliver something quiet and deep at the same time. Curator: Absolutely. And I think placing this within the context of Piliuta’s other works, one notices an interest in commonplace subjects that are ennobled through expressive paintwork. He often depicted the intimate space of home life, making visible value of everyday life for Romanians at the time. Editor: I like how we see in that way the political act of finding beauty and dignity in our lives. Makes you look at a bunch of irises in a different way. Curator: It does indeed. This piece challenges us to see beauty in the ordinary, to find meaning in the ephemeral. Editor: And for me, it’s a reminder that even faded beauty holds a certain kind of poignancy, a bittersweet reminder of time’s passage.