Antonio Mancini, Portrait Of Aurelia (known As La Cornacchia"), Oil On Canvas, Early 20th Centu

Antonio Mancini, Portrait of Aurelia (known as "La Cornacchia"), oil on canvas, early 20th century

Antonio Mancini
(Rome, 1852 – Rome, 1930)
Portrait of Aurelia Ciommi (known as "La Cornacchia")

Artist: Antonio Mancini

Title: Portrait of Aurelia Ciommi (known as "La Cornacchia")

Period: Early 20th century (datable between 1905 and 1910)

Technique: Oil on canvas

Inscriptions: Signed and
dedicated in the upper right: "Gift to Aurelia / A. Mancini"

Dimensions of artwork (canvas): 76 x 56 cm / with frame: 106.5 x 89 cm

Certificate of authenticity: Accompanied by an official certificate of authenticity from the Antonio Mancini Archive in Rome.

Description and Critical Analysis
This extraordinary work offers an intimate and vibrant testament to the artistic maturity of Antonio Mancini, one of the most revolutionary and eccentric masters of the Italian painting scene at the turn of the 20th century.

The painting depicts the famous Roman model Aurelia Ciommi, affectionately nicknamed "La Cornacchia" (The Crow) due to her striking, proud features and prominent nose. Ciommi was one of the most important and constant muses in the painter’s life, whom he immortalized in several canvases and preparatory studies (among which the famous masterpiece Aurelia, dated 1906 and now housed at the National Gallery in London, stands out).
The work on display stands out for its exceptional emotional and textural power. Mancini abandons all cold academicism to embrace a style of painting driven by pure instinct and energy:

The Material: The canvas is characterized by impressive experimentation with texture. The color is applied in dense, almost sculptural strokes, capable of capturing and reflecting light in an iridescent manner.
Light and Atmosphere: The dark, deep background makes the figure of the woman stand out with a dramatic, almost Caravaggesque contrast.
The Intimacy of the Gift: The precious handwritten dedication in the upper right corner (“Gift to Aurelia / A. Mancini”) transforms this painting into an art object of inestimable historical value, sealing the deep human and professional bond between the artist and his favorite model.

Biographical Note on the Artist
A child prodigy admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples at just twelve years old, Antonio Mancini lived and worked in the great centers of European art: Rome, Naples, and Paris.
Early on associated with the Realist movement, he worked closely with Édouard Manet’s circle and forged bonds of deep esteem and friendship with international giants of the caliber of John Singer Sargent and Edgar Degas. Famous for his psychological portraits and his bold technical experimentation (such as the use of the "graticola" technique), Mancini is today unanimously considered one of the leading figures of modern Italian painting.