Italian School; Taken From The Novel Niccolò De' Lapi, 19th Century, Oil On Canvas

Taken from the novel Niccolò de' Lapi, i Palleschi e i Piagnoni by Massimo d'Azeglio
Olio on canvas
in 61,02x77,56

This painting is a work of the Italian school from the 19th century, inspired by the historical novel Niccolò de' Lapi, ovvero i Palleschi e i Piagnoni by Massimo d’Azeglio, published in 1841. The depicted scene is highly dramatic and narrative, consistent with the Romantic taste for emotionally charged historical episodes.
At the center of the scene lies an elderly man on a bed covered with furs, raising his hands in a gesture of refusal or protest. Around him gathers a group of figures dressed in Renaissance clothing. To his right, a young woman offers him a plate of food, perhaps trying to comfort him. The setting appears to be a prison or a stark room, with light entering from the left and highlighting the protagonists’ faces and hands. The weapons on the ground suggest a military presence or a wartime context.
In the Italian context, this type of painting reflects the Risorgimento’s interest in episodes from the national past, viewed as models of heroism, sacrifice, or civic conscience. Massimo d’Azeglio, in addition to being a novelist, was also a painter and a political figure, and his work helped spread patriotic values through historical narrative. This painting serves as a visual representation of that mission.

in 61,02x77,56

Provenance
Private collection

Defects and restorations. Losses.