Lot 562: Sava Henția (1848-1904) - View of the river bank

Sava Henția (1848–1904) was a prominent Romanian painter. He was born on February 1, 1848, in the village of Sebeșel, Transylvania. Henția attended primary school in his hometown and moved to Bucharest in 1862. In 1865, he enrolled in the School of Fine Arts, where he excelled, earning the grand prize in 1870 along with a scholarship.

In 1871, he traveled to Italy, visited Rome, and later settled in Paris, where he furthered his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts under the guidance of the renowned painter Alexandre Cabanel. In 1873, Henția was admitted to the Paris Salon with his work Psyche Abandoned by Love. The following year, he returned to Romania, bringing with him the painting Aurora.

In 1876, Henția was appointed professor of drawing and calligraphy at the girls' secondary school and also served as a drawing teacher at the Elena Asylum, positions he held for decades, still occupying them as late as 1897.

During the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878), Henția found inspiration in the events of the conflict and created numerous works depicting its battles. Among his most notable paintings are The Triumphal Entry of Trajan into Sarmizegetusa, Venus, Portrait of Ana Davila, Mill, Târgul Moșilor, and A Romanian Brings Food to Market.

Sava Henția passed away on February 21, 1904, leaving a significant legacy in Romanian art.