Painting by Raffaello Sorbi (Florence 1844-1931), "Traveling Musicians"

RAFFAELLO SORBI (Florence 1844-1931), "Traveling Musicians", 82.5x73.4 cm, oil on canvas, signed "Raf. Sorbi/1885" lower right. The painter portrays a festive banquet scene where the patrons of a country inn are entertained by two itinerant musicians, engrossed in singing and playing. The atmosphere is joyful: Sorbi magnificently renders the expression of each of the characters in the painting, demonstrating his precise and virtuoso technique. Sorbi's skill is also revealed in the rendering of the light that gives great luminosity to the scene, restoring the glow of a sunny day outdoors. On the back, the painting still bears an old label from a London gallery, Mitchell Galleries Ltd., which may have acquired the painting presumably in the first half of the twentieth century. BIOGRAPHY: Raffaello Sorbi was born in Florence on February 24, 1844. Introduced to drawing by his father, he then enrolled, in 1858, at the Academy of Fine Arts in his city, following the teachings of Antonio Ciseri. In 1861 he presented himself at the National Exhibition of Florence with his The Death of Corso Donati, which was appreciated and earned him first place in the three-year competition. Alongside him at the Exhibition were also the artists who were his points of reference: Stefano Ussi, Domenico Morelli and also the Macchiaioli. These last, however, criticized his early style closer to neoclassical and romantic academicism, so loved by the public. So Sorbi took note of the criticisms and went towards a style that made his paintings more relevant to reality. His pictorial style was characterized by the great attention he put into drawing and the meticulous study for the reconstruction of historical settings: from genre scenes in Pompeian courtyards, to those of Imperial Rome to medieval Florence and interior scenes in eighteenth-century costumes. His skill was also appreciated by King Vittorio Emanuele II who, in 1863, commissioned him a painting depicting Piccarda Donati kidnapped from the convent of Santa Chiara by her brother Corso, preserved in Palazzo Pitti. In the same year he had another recognition: he won a scholarship in Rome with his Savonarola explaining the Bible to monks and friends in the Convent of S. Marco, but he decided not to leave and remained in his Florence. In his city he had the opportunity to better know the Macchiaioli artists and their painting, gathered at the Caffè Michelangelo: in particular, he carried out a study on the light of their paintings. The influence of the Macchiaioli was seen in particular in the landscapes that Sorbi performed after his debut with historical subjects. The majority of his works, in any case, had historical subjects, works for which Sorbi quickly acquired a great success thanks to his precise technique and the accuracy in the construction of the scenes, especially for the ancient historical scenes. The subjects were certainly inspired and went hand in hand with the new discoveries in the archaeological site of Pompeii. Sorbi's work was enriched in 1872, when he signed a seven-year contract with the famous French merchant Eugène Goupil: with him the painter became one of the most internationally appreciated artists. Precisely his historical paintings were sought after by many European collectors. In addition to the paintings for Goupil, Sorbi exhibited his works in Italian exhibitions and in Parisian Salons. Back in Italy, he also had the opportunity to try the academic career as a teacher, becoming a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence in 1892. He died in Florence on December 19, 1931.