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Nicolae Grant (1868-1950)  new article content ... The Romanian painter and aquarellist Nicolae Grant was the eleventh son of Effingham Grant (1820-1896), a British consular agent of Scottish origin, married to a Romanian lady belonging to the old aristocratic family Racoviţa. In that time (untill 1877) Romania was under the Ottoman rule. In 1885 Effingham Grant gave up the diplomatic career and started a business with antique rugs in Bucarest.

Grant started his education at home with a personal tutor, later on he went to Winter’s boarding school in Neuilly and to secondary school in Tours and Montpepellier. At sixteen he already painted landscapes and copied works by Teniers. In 1884 he followed for a year the school of fine arts in Bucharest, then back in Paris he continued his studies. First he attended the school of decorative arts, guided by Hector Lamaire and then “L’Ecole de Beaux Arts” where he was the student of the famous orientalist painter Jean-Léon Gérôme. While in France he exhibited at several collective exhibitions, such as Salon des artistes francais in Paris1886,1889 and 1900 and in Munich in 1905. His paintings were also displayed in Romania at many collective exhibitions, and between 1898 and 1946 he had 18 personal exhibitions. In 1902 he was one of the founding members of a society called “Artistic Youth”. Among other awards he was granted "Bene Merenti" in 1912 and was made a commandor of the order “The Romanian Crown” in 1922. Between 1898 and 1903 he became known in Paris as a posters painter. His most famous posters being Chocolat Reunier and Pianos A. Bord.

From 1909 on he settled in Romania, living first in his mansion at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains and later in Bucarest. Here he was commissioned to paint the inside of the Cantacuzino Palace. He made three panels in the manner of Watteau, entitled Church faces from the 18th century. His favourite subjects were: landscapes, portraits, interiors of houses, churches and many paintings representing Turkish boudoirs showing textiles. A recurrent source of his inspiration were also monasteries like Bistriţa, Hurezu, Polovraci and peasant gardens luxurious with flowers. He is especially known for his water colours. His paintings are extremely optimistic, his colours bright and his interiors convey a peaceful atmosphere. Nicolae Grant is included in Bénézit: Dictionnaire critique et Documentaire 1976.