Theodor Pallady Sold at Auction Prices

Painter, b. 1871 - d. 1956

Theodor Pallady (11 April 1871 – 16 August 1956) was a Romanian painter.

Theodor Pallady was the son of Ioan Pallady and Maria Cantacuzino, the older sister of Romanian diplomat Neculai B. Cantacuzino. He was born in Iasi, Romania on April, 14th 1878 and spent his childhood both in Perieni and in Iasi.[1] At a young age, his family sent him to Dresden, where he studied engineering at the Dresden University of Technology between 1887 and 1889. At the same time, he studied art with Erwin Oehme, who, recognising his artistic intuition, suggested that he go to Paris.[2]

In Paris, Pallady worked in the studio of Aman Jean and enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts (Académie des Beaux-Arts). In 1892 he joined Gustave Moreau’s studio where he worked alongside painters such as Henri Matisse, with whom he developed a close friendship, Georges Rouault, and Albert Marquet.[3]

In 1900, he presented his work “ The Prodigal Son”, at the Exposition Universelle, which earned him high praise.[2]

In 1906 he married Jeanne Ghika-Brigadier.[4]

He opened a studio in Paris on Place Dauphine where he worked until 1940, traveling often between France and Romania.[2]

In 1904, Pallady returned to Romania, where he held an exhibition at the Romanian Athenaeum. However, he maintained close connections with Paris, where he continued to hold many personal exhibitions, up until World War II.[5]

Pallady never lost the contact with Romania and had friends from the community of Romanian artists and intellectuals living in Paris, including Benjamin Fondane, George Enescu, Constantin Brâncu?i, Camil Ressu, Nicolae Darascu, Panait Istrati, Traian Vuia, Eugène Ionesco, Emil Cioran and Paul Celan. Theodor Pallady bought Brâncu?i sculpture The first Kiss, this work is a little kiss (7.8" × 1.18" × 1.57") pink marble, and the first work of modern art. This sculpture is dated 1905 and was brought it with him to Romanian. He also exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1924, 1940 and 1942.

In 1940 he moved to Bucharest.[1] He died in Bucharest on 16 August 1956, and is buried in Bellu cemetery.