Alexis Macedonski (1884–1971) - Portrait of a Gentleman with a Bow Tie

Technical sheet

Author: Alexis Macedonski (1884–1971)
Chronology: First half of the 20th century, around 1940.
Technique: oil on canvas
Measurements: 46 × 38 cm
Support: Canvas stretched over an original frame.
Realistic portraiture tradition from Central Europe, with Post-Impressionist accents.
Condition: Very good; minor restorations on the back without affecting its aesthetic appearance. Gilded period frame, magnificently preserved.

2. Compositional and iconographic description

The portrait depicts a mature gentleman with an elegant bearing, slightly tilted, whose oblique gaze reflects lucid introspection. Macedonski shapes the volumes with short, thick brushstrokes, inheriting from Romanian realism and French naturalism, applying frontal light that emphasizes the serenity of the face.

The neutral, softly textured background isolates the figure and reinforces its psychological presence, while the attire — dark suit and bow tie — introduces an elegant tonal contrast with the epidermal warmth. The expression, halfway between assertion and reserve, reveals the artist's skill in capturing the intimate character of the model.

The set is enhanced by an imposing gold frame with a deep molding, decorated with scrolls and ovals, which adds a museum-like solemnity and emphasizes the frontal reading of the portrait.

3. Style, School, and Historical Context

Alexis Macedonski, son and heir of the important Romanian painter Alexandru Macedonski, developed a style characterized by psychological portraiture, luminous sensitivity, and refined naturalism. This work is situated at the height of the artist's maturity, when his already consolidated language shows some affinity with Nicolae Grigorescu's sensitive realism, and even with the elegant sobriety of European portraitists like Philip de László or Bernard Boutet de Monvel in their most restrained phase.

The treatment of the face, with chromatic glazes that model the flesh from within, demonstrates a solid academic background and a deep interest in the human condition. The work is part of the tradition of bourgeois portraiture from the interwar period, where individual dignity and psychological presence were the main formal objectives.

Aesthetic and Comparative Evaluation

It is a portrait of remarkable quality, sober, elegant, and profoundly human. The precision of anatomy, chromatic harmony, and the artist's ability to condense identity and character into a minimal gesture stand out. Compared to other Central European portraitists of the period, Macedonski demonstrates a particular sensitivity to light and emotional expression.

The presence of a magnificent gold frame makes the piece especially attractive to 20th-century portrait collectors, with a perfect balance between classicism, early modernity, and decorative value.