Nazzareno Cipriani (Rome, 1843 – 1925), In a gondola

Nazzareno Cipriani (Rome, 1843 – 1925) In a gondola Watercolor on paper, cm 102.7 x 66.5 Signed lower left: N. Cipriani A descendant of a Venetian family that settled near the Eternal City in the first quarter of the 19th century, Nazzareno Cipriani studied in Rome and worked in the Lazio studio of the Neapolitan painter Achille Vertunni, alongside Pietro Barucci and Pio Joris, figures who clearly influenced the elaborate process of consolidating his rich visual imagination: in the 1860s, during the period in which his training took place, he dedicated himself mainly to paintings of a historical or religious nature, in line with consolidated nineteenth-century romantic trends. Having reached artistic maturity, Cipriani preferred the depiction of landscapes, both of his land of origin, the Veneto, and of his adopted homeland, the Lazio. His Venetian views are generally captured in the gray clarity of an expectation of rain: gondolas in backlight - dark and solitary elements - exactly connote the place, giving life to a timeless and suspended atmosphere, with almost mystical and spiritual traits. In his acclaimed Roman landscapes, on the other hand, the scenes appear populated by vernacular characters in typical costumes and illuminated by a garish light, which instills serenity. Starting from the 1870s - a period in which the painter continuously frequented national and international exhibitions, including the Roman Exhibition of Amateurs and Cultivators and the Exhibition of Fine Arts in Vienna, often being affiliated with members of the In arte libertas group of Costa and Santorio - Cipriani, fascinated by the splendid paintings of Fortuny, became passionate about the watercolor technique, of which he became an excellent master; in 1875 he was among the ten founders of the Rome Watercolorist Association, with whom he participated in exhibitions until 1913. His splendid watercolor works were presented at the National Exhibition of Rome in 1883 (The Bride's Farewell), at the Royal Academy of London and at the Roman Academy of San Luca. This painting by Cipriani depicts a Venetian scene, with a gondola sailing the calm waters of the lagoon at sunset. A gondolier propels the boat, inside whose hull two lovers exchange confidences, on the placid waters with iridescent reflections of the Venice lagoon: the use of the watercolor technique makes it possible to perfectly render the plays of light of the water surface, making this wonderful Venetian view unique.