Italian Woman In Laziale Costume Of The Roman Countryside With Veil, Rosary And Arm Sleeves,19t

Italian woman in Laziale costume of the Roman countryside with veil, rosary and arm sleeves, 19th century

Oil on canvas, 101 × 86 cm

Without frame 74 × 60 cm

Portrait of an Italian woman wearing traditional costume from the Roman countryside, identifiable as Laziale or Ciociaro, a subject much appreciated in 19th-century Roman painting, when artists’ studios often used models coming from the Aniene valley, Tivoli, Subiaco, Arsoli and the villages of Ciociaria, well known for the richness and variety of their traditional dress. The rosary held in the hand recalls the popular religious devotion typical of rural communities around Rome.

The costume shows characteristic elements of the area between Rome and Frosinone: a large white veil folded and tied behind the head with a bow, a light shirt with fine red stripes and wide sleeves gathered with ribbons, a white shawl draped over the shoulders, and long fitted ochre arm sleeves covering the forearm down to the hand, a typical accessory of Laziale and Ciociaro costume, used to protect the shirt and frequently seen in traditional dress from the Aniene valley and northern Ciociaria.

By style, handling and interest in regional costume, the painting can be placed in the Roman artistic circle around the mid-19th century, in a production related to costume models used in the studios of Italian and foreign artists during the Grand Tour period.

In a 19th-century gilt wood frame.

Good condition, with normal age patina.