11.10.18

A Brief Catalogue On Paintings Of Italian Villages

By Daniel Young


The towns and villages of Italy are picturesque, and that word is meant in all its literal sense. This country has long been a mother lode of inspiration for beautiful and immortal works of art. You mustve seen Paintings of Italian Villages crowding the walls and panels of art galleries all over the world.

This is the blossoming ground of the Renaissance that were talking about, after all. The country that gave to the world Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Titian, and Botticelli. If none of these names ring a bell to you, look them up, fast. You dont want to be tagged as uncultured, do you.Landscape painting is as old as time itself. Even portraitists like da Vinci still utilized landscaping techniques to a certain extent. Notice his background on the famous Mona Lisa, thats some masterful camera obscura technique right there. If landscape techniques were just a pushover for the talented da Vinci, there are a whole host of other painters, both historical and contemporary, that have built their careers on it.

There is Antonietta Brandeis. You should see her whimsical artwork of Ponte Vecchio. This is the selfsame viaduct where the heroine of GiacomoPuccinis famous opera swears to jump over if she is dashed by her love interest. History, art, and classical music, thats cultural bonanza to you. Dont get all maudlin with the painting, however. This ones actually a happy rendering, with golden daylight shining down on an object of architectural reverence.

Another titular painting in this thread is An Italian Village by a Lake by Carl Gustav Rodde. The diurnal soft hues of the artwork are reminiscent of a peaceful hamlet where the portrayed cherubic denizens are living out their normal, workaday lives. It is set in a golden field imposed with stone houses, beset by a dark blue lake and mountains at the background.

Robert Duncansons A Dream of Italy is a provocative one. Duncanson is not a native Italian, that much is obvious. Maybe he has been to Italy, maybe not. The moot point is that it is not known if his paradisiacal painting is inspired by a real setting or not. As per the name, it could well be a product of his dream. The artwork has a dreamlike quality to it, with its lushly painted vegetation overpowering the distantly obscured village in the far background.

Padua by the prolific Canaletto is another treasure. The centerpiece of this painting by the Italian master of landscapesis a sparse tree leaning towards the canal and the buildings of Padua on the background. This is a really masterful work deserving of the great painter.One more Canaletto painting is Capriccio Ruins and Classical buildings which depicts an ancient moss laden arch in a bleak and somber backdrop. Typical Canaletto. Even the great monarchs of Europe in his day, including Catherine the Great, vied for his paintings.

If youre in for historical significance, check out Frederick Lee BridellsTheColosseum, Rome 1860. The chiaroscuro juxtaposition gives off an overall dark background, emphasizing the suns rays which are shining full force down into the arena. Those symbolism nerds out there would say that signifies in equal measure all the gore and glory that went on in the place. You can always have your own interpretation.

Verona by Caspar van Wittel is reminiscent of the quintessential Romeo and Juliet. This is a pretty prosaic painting, by all means. But you can still let your imagination do the work. After all, thats the purpose of art in general.

There a host of other options to explore. Dont let this limited list pin you down.The examples in this writeup are literally just a drop in the vast ocean of possibilities you can find in galleries of Italian art.




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