Victor Man. The Lines of Life

Intimate, predominantly small-format paintings seemingly lost in time characterise the work of Romanian artist Victor Man (b. 1974, Cluj). Subtle influences of the pre-Renaissance period and echoes of Symbolism can be discerned in his melancholic imagery. Amid the Old Masters Collection, the Städel Museum will present an exhibition of works from the last ten years dedicated to the painter’s artistic focus: self-portraits and portraits. In deep dark green, blue, and black, Man creates works as sensitive as they are enigmatic, dominated by an existentialist, sombre, introspective tone. Stylistically complex and difficult to categorise, yet unmistakable, the Cluj-born painter has for years been considered one of the most sought-after and, at the same time, rarest protagonists of contemporary art. His œuvre reveals numerous art historical references but also represents a unique position in contemporary painting. A fascinating dialogue between history and the present emerges.