CRITICAL REVIEW

Vasile Blendea’s early works, Pyramid of sacrifices, The Moon eaten by werewolves, reminds us both by subject and treatment, of Paciurea’s symbolism. Meeting with Nicolae Iorga in Paris was decisive for his future orientation towards historical sculpture. Following a mission entrusted by the Romanian Academy, Vasile Blendea makes copies of portraits of Romanian lords in museums in Austria, Switzerland and Germany (Portrait of Vlad Ţepeş, Castle of Ambras, Tyrol). He is the author of many portraits, busts, reliefs, compositions with historical subject, monument projects, mostly in gypsum (also in bronze or stone), some of them beeing modeled analytically, descriptive, others showing increased interest in simpifying and monumentality of the volumes.  Ştefan cel Mare gathering the army, Matei Basarab, Badea Cârţan, Tudor Vladimirescu, Vlad Ţepeş, King Ferdinand(equestrian), Ienăchiţă Văcărescu, Nicolae Iorga,General Berthelot. He was also a painter and a restorer (Brăneşti, Royal Castle – Tȃrgovişte, Doiceşti). In 2002 it opens in Targoviste Memorial House "Vasile and Emilia Blendea" in an eighteenth century house with historical value.
 
Ioana Vlasiu


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    BIOGRAPHY

    Biography
    (Peștișani, Gorj, 1895 - 1983, Bucharest; Constantin Brâncuși’s uncle)



    Academic studies:


    until 1942 - School of Fine Arts with Dimitrie Paciurea and Costin Petrescu (monumental painting), Bucharest;
    fellowship for two years at the Romanian School Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.


    PROJECTS

    Solo exhibitions:
    1924 - he debuts at the Official Salon with the sculpture Făt-Frumos (The Charming Prince);
    1928- 1929 - Salon des Artistes Français, Paris, France.

    Collective exhibitions:
    he participates at Official Salons, state annual exhibitions
     
    Awards:
    1924 - Horia Boamba Award at the Official Salon;
    1937 – Simu Award.
    .
    Monumental works:
    - V. Cârlova, E. Văcărescu, Matei Basarab andBadea Cârţan, Târgovişte;
    - Tudor Vladimirescu, Slatina;
    - Vlad Ţepeş, Bucharest.

    Museums:
    National Art Museum of Romania, Bucharest


     


    BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Barbosa, Octavian, Dictionary of romanian contemporary artists, Meridiane Publishing House, Bucharest, 1976
    Saur, Saur Allegemaine Kunstlerlexikon. Die Bildenden Kunstler aller Zeiten un Volker, 17, K.G. Saur Munchen-Leipzig, 1997.
    META Cultural Foundation, A century of romanian sculpture, A-D Dictionary. Synthesis Collection, META Publishing House, 2001, pp. 64 – 65
    „Arta”, no.11, 1985, p. 39.
    „Arta”, no.11, 1988, p. 41.