Springtime 1963

Alexandru Ciucurencu made this painting, Springtime, at some point in his career, with oil on canvas. The painting looks like a field of greenish yellow, interrupted by standing white shapes, maybe tree trunks. The paint is applied in short, energetic strokes, like he’s trying to capture a quick impression, a fleeting moment in nature. What strikes me is the way Ciucurencu uses colour. The yellow isn’t just yellow; it's got bits of green, brown, and even a touch of blue mixed in. And those white shapes? They’re not pure white. They have shadows and highlights and other colours suggesting depth and form. Look closely at how the white shapes at the front are built from layers of strokes in brown, ochre, and grey, giving them volume and weight. These marks feel like they’re placed deliberately, yet somehow casually, like Ciucurencu is saying, "This is how I see it; what do you think?” I’m reminded of other painters, maybe someone like Bonnard, with his ability to capture the essence of a scene through colour and light. Like those artists, Ciucurencu creates a world on canvas that feels both familiar and strangely new, reminding us that painting is an ongoing conversation.