Table with Fruits in Balchik 1938

Vasile Popescu made this still life painting, ‘Table with Fruits in Balchik’, with visible brushstrokes and a muted palette, hinting at the artist’s hand in the process. Look at the way Popescu handles paint, especially in the pears and the grapes. The paint isn't trying to trick you into thinking these are real pears. Instead, it's all about the texture, the color, and the way light bounces off the surface. The grapes, rendered in soft greens, seem to glow, not from inherent luminosity but from the contrast with the darker tones surrounding them. It is as if Popescu is reminding us that art is not about capturing reality but about creating a new one. This reminds me of Cezanne, who also loved painting fruit. But while Cezanne was all about structure, Popescu seems more interested in the feeling of the thing. It's like he's saying, "Here's a pear, but also, here's how I feel about pears." Art is a conversation, a back-and-forth, and Popescu is adding his voice to the mix.