By Gondola

Nazzareno Cipriani (Rome, 1843 - 1925)

By gondola

Watercolour on paper, cm 102,7 x 66,5

Signed in the lower left: N. Cipriani

Descendant of a Venetian family settled in the first quarter of the nineteenth century near the Eternal City, Nazzareno Cipriani studied in Rome and worked at the studio of the Neapolitan painter Achille Vertunni, next to Pietro Barucci and Pio Joris, Figures who clearly influenced the elaborate process of consolidation of his rich visual imagery: in the 1960s, the period during which he was trained, he devoted himself mainly to paintings of a historical or religious nature, in line with the established romantic tendencies of the nineteenth century. Having reached artistic maturity, Cipriani predilsi the depiction of landscapes, both from his homeland, the Veneto, and from his adopted homeland, the Lazio. Its Venetian views are generally caught in the grey glow of an expectation of rain: gondolas against the light - dark and solitary elements - connote exactly the place, giving rise to a timeless and suspended atmosphere, with almost mystical and spiritual traits. In its acclaimed Roman landscapes, however, the scenes appear populated by vernacular characters in typical costumes and illuminated by a garish light, that infuses serenity. From the 1870s onwards - a period in which the painter continuously attended national and international exhibitions, including the Roman Exhibition of Amateurs and Cultors and the Vienna Exposition of Fine Arts, often being affiliated with the members of the group In arte libertas di Costa e Santorio - Cipriani, fascinated by the splendid paintings of Fortuny, became passionate about the technique of watercolor, of which he became an excellent master; in 1875 he was one of the ten founders of the Association of Roman Aquarellists, with whom he participated in exhibitions until 1913.His splendid watercolour works were presented at the National Exhibition in Rome in 1883 (The Bride’s Farewell), at the Royal Academy in London and at the Roman Academy of San Luca.

The present painting by Cipriani depicts a Venetian scene, with a gondola that surfs the calm waters of the lagoon at sunset. A gondolier drives the boat, on whose hull two lovers exchange confidences, on the calm waters of the Venice lagoon: the use of watercolor technique allows to make the perfect play of light of the water, making this wonderful view unique.