Villanis' Love Of Art

Emmanuel Villanis came from a family of Italian origin. In 1861, his parents returned to Italy and settled in Piedmont. They had fled Italy when the War of Independence broke out, under threat from Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1871, the artist enrolled at the Accademia Albertina in Turin; where he studied under the sculptor Odoardo Tabacchi (1831–1905). As soon as he finished his studies, his teacher encouraged him to exhibit his work: his bust Alda, for example, was exhibited in Milan in 1881.In 1885, Villanis moved to Montmartre, a neighborhood in Paris that he would never leave. The artist’s reputation was built on his depictions of female figures. Aida, Judith, Delilah, Lucretia, Cinderella: her work brings together the great heroines of opera, literature, mythology, and the Bible. Villanis also explores certain archetypes—the Gypsy, the Lady of the Manor, and even the Parisian—as well as several allegories, including Painting and Sculpture.Created primarily in bronze, and occasionally in chryselephantine, his sculptures subtly bear the hallmarks of Art Nouveau, including the lettering of the title, which regularly adorns the base. His use of patinas further enhances the delicacy of his lines, making Villanis one of the leading sculptors of Art Nouveau.