Art In The Afternoon….Sibiel Glass Icon Museum

Village of Sibiel

An afternoon September rain has purified the landscape in the region of Sibiu, Transylvania…crisp, wet colors woven in nature’s cloth are guiding the traveler towards a necklace of villages with rich tradition called Marginimea Sibiului, neighboring villages like Tilisca, Vale, Orlat, Saliste and my final destination Sibiel where a jewel of a folk art museum is preserving a very unique collection of Icons Painted on Glass.

 

Village Life

The painting of icons on glass is an ancient Romanian folk tradition dating back to 1699 in various regions of Transylvania - Nicula and surrounding areas (Northern Transylvania), Mures Valley, the Fagaras, Brasov area, Valley of Sebes, Alba Iulia, Mǎrginimea Sibiului – and each is characterized by their specific style.

St. Ilie Glass Icon

These areas are all well represented in the Museum “Fr. Zosim Oancea” where, among the almost 600 icons collection, artistic jewels of the local traditions are exhibited.

 

Fr. Zosim Oancea Museum, Sibiel

After their work in the fields was done or when the weather did not permit outdoor activities, some of the peasants in the area dedicated themselves to painting icons on glass.

Museum Interior, Sibiel 

They produced all colors from natural pigments and materials blending mixtures using animal fat, egg yolk, linseed oil etc.

Holy Trinity Glass Icon

Icon Painting was never a commercial profit activity, but an expression of faith and desire to have a Holy Icon in their home.

The painters had to prepare spiritually through prayer and fasting, before creating the icons.

St. George Glass Icon

Pieta Crucifixion Glass Icon

Art in the Afternoon….Sibiu

The morning sounds are filtering through the open windows at Am Ring Hotel in Sibiu, my favorite when I am on a cultural adventure.

The Large Market Square is in a mauve mist dotted with brush strokes of light smoke, warm coral and steel as dawn brings her veil upon it, pigeons dance in the water fountains.

      

                                                              Voyages of Discovery

Stepping out for a taste of Hermannstadt, over 900 years of medieval wonder in Transylvania. Several hours revisiting a dear spot of the world go by too fast.

 

Piata Mare

                                  http://patrimoniu.sibiu.ro/en

Cobble stone streets guide me through pastel painted walls, fortress towers, Gothic and Romanesque structures to my destination for this afternoon, the Brukenthal Palace.

  

                                     

                                              Brukenthal Pallace

                                          ROMANIAN ART GALLERY

                                     Address: Piata Mare Nr. 5, Sibiu

                               Entry from Brukenthal Palace, second floor

                                          Tel. +40 269 217691

                                             (+40) 369 101 780

Started in 1778, the building was erected as property of Samuel von Brukenthal, Governor of Transylvania (1777 – 1787) and in accordance with the plans of Viennese architect Joseph Franz Martinelli.
                  

http://www.brukenthalmuseum.ro/romaneasca_en/02.htm#

Today I will revisit the Romanian Art Gallery, Nicolae Grigorescu, Gheorghe Tattarescu, Theodor Aman, Stefan Luchian, Nicolae Tonitza to name a few painters in the collection.

Nicolae Grigorescu

Gheorghe Tattarescu

Theodor Aman

 

Stefan Luchian

Illuminated by the paintings, the visual richness of the museum, I am on my way to complete the day with "Faust" after J.W. Goethe, an theatrical experience directed by my friend Silviu Purcarete at the National Theater Radu Stanca, Sibiu.Curtain time 10:00 P.M......