Pair Of Watercolors Attributed To Auguste Anastasi (1820–1889) Italy, Circa 1850-1860

Pair of watercolors attributed to Auguste Anastasi (1820–1889)
Italy, circa 1850-1860

“Italian Women in Traditional Costume – Roman Countryside”

Pair of watercolors depicting two young Italian women in traditional costume, leaning on amphorae, in a pose that is both simple and studied. Each figure is depicted in profile, embodying the understated elegance of 19th-century Roman peasant women.
The treatment of the clothing is exquisite: pleats, bordered patterns in bright colors (red, olive green, slate blue), white kerchiefs, and traditional headdresses. The faces are delicately modeled, accentuating the quiet intimacy of these rural portraits.

Technique: watercolor and gouache highlights on paper, mounted under an antique mat. ???? Dimensions without frame:
– 28 × 18 cm
– 30 × 21 cm
Red monogram "AA" visible on both works (lower left and right), typical of the monogram used by Auguste Anastasi.
Stamp on the back of one of the works: "Vente Aug. Anastasi 1873 – Italienne, Campagne de Rome", confirming their direct provenance from the artist's studio.

Auguste Anastasi (1820–1889), French painter trained in the studio of Eugène Delacroix, affiliated with the Barbizon School, and a resident of the Villa Medici. Although known for his landscapes, he produced numerous figure studies during his travels, particularly in Italy. These watercolors demonstrate his sensitive and ethnographic approach to rural populations.