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Giuseppe De (Nittis Barletta, 1846-1884, Saint Germain en Laye)
A view from Pompei |
Oil on panel
7 ⅛ by 12 ¼ in ; 18.2 by 31 cm
signed and dated lower right: De Nittis 73
Provenance:
- Salander-O'Reilly Galleries, New York, 2002
Comparative literature:
- P. Dini and G. L. Marini, Giuseppe de Nittis: la vita, i documenti, le opere dipinte, 2 vols., 1990
Born in Barletta in Puglia, De Nittis moved to Naples in 1860 where he soon achieved considerable fame. His subdued, unidealized landscapes, characterized by subtle light effects, were profoundly influential on the Macchiaioli in Florence. In 1868 he decided to move to Paris, where at first he produced historical genre scenes. However he also continued to practise landscape painting, adopting a bright palette similar to that of the Impressionists, while his unconventional, asymmetrical compositions were influenced by both photography and Japanese prints. De Nittis was also celebrated for his animated scenes of urban life, both in Paris and London, which he regularly visited. In addition to oils, he experimented with printmaking and made innovative use of pastels.
The present work, a beautiful view of Pompei, dates from the most important and prolific period of de Nittis' career. With the outbreak of the Franco–Prussian War in 1870, De Nittis went to Naples and Barletta, where he remained for most of the period until 1873, painting wonderfully atmospheric seascapes and landscapes that established his reputation in Paris. During this productive time he painted views from various locations, among them was Pompei and its surrounding ruins.
The present work, while very much rooted in a plein air approach to painting, also begins to incorporate brighter impressionist light. He was especially close to Edgar Degas who invited him to exhibit at the first Impressionist group show at the Nadar Gallery in 1874. Even though he frequently exhibited with the Impressionists, this painting recalls the technical refinement of Gérôme and Meissonier as well as the more broken brush-stroke and luminosity of the Impressionists.
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