Natale Schiavoni (chioggia 1777 - Venice 1858), Odalisque

Natale Schiavoni (Chioggia 1777 - Venice 1858)

Odalisque

Pastel on paper, cm 60 x 45

Frame, cm 77 x 64.5

Signed and dated in the upper left: N. Schiavoni 1856

Natale Schiavoni (Chioggia, 25 April 1777 - Venice, 16 April 1858) was an Italian painter and engraver, best known for his portraits and genre scenes characterized by a delicate sensuality and elegant execution. Born into a family of artists - his father Felice was a painter particularly appreciated by his contemporaries -, Schiavoni initially trained in his father’s workshop. His early artistic inclination soon brought him to Venice, where he had the opportunity to study and get in touch with the main exponents of the artistic environment of the lagoon city. His career developed through different phases and influences. Initially linked to the Venetian pictorial tradition of the eighteenth century, with a particular attention to color and light, Schiavoni was able to carry out a profound evolution in his style, incorporating in his works elements characterizing neoclassicism and romanticism, dominant trends at the beginning of the 19th century. He became particularly popular for his portraits, in which he was able to grasp with sensitivity the personality and elegance of subjects, often members of the high society of his time. His female figures are characterized by an idealized beauty and an aura of refined melancholy. In addition to portraits, Schiavoni also dedicated himself to genre painting, creating intimate and graceful scenes, often with female figures in languid poses or in daily idealized contexts. His skill in drawing and attention to detail helped make these works particularly pleasing and refined.