The Impressionists’ favourite theme, that of the character placed in a landscape bathed in midday light, is frequently encountered in Grigorescu’s works in a compositional formula that is specific to him, the young peasant girl sitting in the grass, with the sheep nearby. A type of composition to which he returned in variations on the same theme, cultivated by the artist for several decades, up until towards the end. For analogy purposes, we can mention several works from the heritage of the Modern Romanian Art Gallery, MNAR, including: Peasant Woman on the Grass, 46.5 x 65 cm, inv. 69623/7563; Peasant Woman on the Grass, 46.5 x 65 cm, inv. 69623/7563; Peasant Woman Sewing, 1901, 21.2 x 35 cm, inv. 69683/7623; Peasant Woman Spinning Yarn 1902, 46.3 x 66.5 cm, inv. 105777/10978 etc.
Almost the entire image is taken up by the green- brown mass of vegetation, painted in alert, interwoven, dense strokes, a pictorial matter suggesting reflective silk effects. The young shepherd woman having a vine-like silhouette, dressed in the traditional white linen costume shining in the light, with a black skirt, is pictured sitting, placed in the forefront to the left, in a deliberate avoidance of symmetry. Demonstrating the artist’s craftsmanship, the country girl’s round pink face, barely shaped and with a white accent cast from the tip of the brush, looking towards the painter – we discover the details and expression of the face by examining the painting closely – acquires its own identity and physiognomy. We believe that this work, a plein air painting, for sure, belongs to his age of mature style.
Above the scene, on the upper right-hand side, a rounded patch of clear sky with a bright white spot breaks the mass of greenery reminiscent of the ratio of vegetation and light from the painting The Young Shepherd’s Song, collection of conductor George Georgescu.
Orig.: Elena and Cătălin Zdrobiș Collection, Bucharest.
