About Us
Born from a simple desire
Art you want to live with every day.
A Curated Journey
2023 — Contai Gallery opens
2024 — Contai Gallery at Art Safari, Art Market
2025 — “Passion for Art” Pop-Up, “In the Open Air” exhibition
2026 — Launch of the Contai Marketplace platform
Julianna Cristescu
Contai Gallery opened its doors in 2023 at 2 Sava Henția Street, Bucharest.
Founded by Juliana Cristescu—a gallerist and painter’s daughter—the gallery specializes in Romanian art from the 19th and 20th centuries, alongside a carefully selected roster of contemporary artists.
Juliana’s vision is rooted in a deep appreciation for Romanian historical art and in the desire to create meaningful connections between this tradition and contemporary artistic practices.
Gallerist, daughter of a painter, and a strong believer in art’s power to transform people’s lives.
Founder
Contemporary Programme
Romanian Art
from the 19th and 20th Centuries
Our Collection
A refined, carefully curated selection of contemporary artists whose practices engage in dialogue with our historical programme.
A rigorously assembled collection of Romanian historical art, decorative art, painting, and sculpture from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Art Market, MOBU—
Bucharest, 2025
Art Market, MOBU —
Bucharest, 2024
Previous Events
Contai Christmas Art Fair — Bucharest, 2024
OPEN SHOWROOM AT NÁLAM, BUDAPEST, 2024
Beyond the Gallery
Contai Marketplace for Contemporary Artists
from Hungary and Romania
Alongside the gallery, Juliana founded Contai Marketplace in 2026—a dedicated online platform for contemporary artists from the region. Designed to complement Contai Gallery’s programme, Contai Marketplace offers a carefully selected overview of contemporary art, with an experience optimized for discovering and reserving artworks on mobile devices.
A full member of the Romanian Academy and a defining figure in contemporary Romanian graphic art, Mircia Dumitrescu is renowned for his mastery of engraving and drawing. His work transforms line and volume into profound visual metaphors, bringing together literary expression, technical precision, and powerful form.
More information
Mircia
Dumitrescu
Dan Badea’s work explores the personal and collective memory of the 1980s through a postmodern visual language. Using collage, drawing, pastel, and layered pictorial surfaces, he reconstructs the atmosphere of a complex era, balancing the sincerity of the gesture with the simplicity of the initial idea.
More information
Dan
Badea
For the celebrated writer, painting was a natural extension of literature, marked by the same playful imagination and existential reflection. Through a free neo-expressionist language and vibrant colors, his paintings explore symbolic motifs—from birds in flight to humorous self-portraits—rejecting rigid conventions in favor of pure spontaneity.
Marin
Sorescu
Trained in Corneliu Baba’s studio, Baciu created a visual universe of remarkable graphic power and chromatic tension. Known for his incisive line and dynamic compositions between satire and abstraction, he left a lasting mark on both easel painting and book illustration.
Constantin
Baciu
(1930 - 2005)
(1936 – 1996)
(1976 -
(1941-)
At Contai Gallery, history comes to life. We are proud to present antique and collectible works, with a focus on art from the 19th and 20th centuries. Each piece offers a window into the past, carrying fascinating stories and remarkable artistic craftsmanship.
From paintings that reflect the ornate styles of earlier eras to rare objects that speak of culture and tradition, these works are more than decorative pieces—they are treasures that enrich any collection.
Artworks from the 19th and 20th Centuries
