Still Life with Carnations, Apples and a Clock 1944

Alexandru Ciucurencu made this still life of carnations, apples, and a clock using an arsenal of brushstrokes to capture the scene before him. I love the slightly off-kilter quality of the composition; the clock feels a bit like it might topple over. The material aspects of this work are what make it sing. The paint application varies from thick, impasto textures in the flowers and fruit to thinner, more transparent washes in the background. The brushwork is visible throughout, and it feels like Ciucurencu was really present with the materials, letting the paint do its thing. Look at the lower left corner – the way the dark lines create a kind of scaffolding for the table, it’s a beautiful balance of representation and abstraction. Ciucurencu's approach reminds me a little of Giorgio Morandi, another master of the still life, though Ciucurencu's palette is a bit bolder, the textures more pronounced. Ultimately, this painting is a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, a dialogue across time and between artists, and that ambiguity is not a weakness, but a source of endless fascination.