Objects of Impressionism: Art At the Galleria Nazionale (Part 1)

Perri, Degas, Cellini, Troubetzkoy, & Boldini
at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna di Roma

Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna di Roma

The museum exhibits works from the 19th-20th century as a type of documentary of the transitions of painting and sculpture. It was established in 1883 to exhibit the ‘living’ art.The original museum was in the Palazzo delle Esposizioni built by Pio Piacentini in 1883. In 1915, the collection was moved to its present location at a monumental building by Cesare Bazzani and dedicated to Rome’s past and dedicated to celebration of Italy’s 50th anniversary.

Initially the building's design seems at odds with Rome’s great collection of modern and contemporary art. Itis expected to enter a more modern structure that reflects its interiors. After contemplating, it is appropriately Rome. In the sense that the building combines Italy’s past, dedicated to grandiose classical columns, capitals, and arches, and the city’s present and possible future expressions. 

The museum exhibits a variety of works from a diverse schools. A large collection was acquired from the international Biennale of Venice with works of Verism, Symbolism, Decadentismo Neorinascimentale, and Secessioni and additional donated southern Italian schools by artists such as Morelli, Palizzi and Celentano. The museum also purchased romanticism pieces by Macchiaioli, Divisionisti, and Medardo Rosso. When the museum was enlarged between 1933-34, Fascist artworks were also added. In the 70s on-wards more and more works were purchased or donated and exhibited. Famous international artists such Bellla, De Chirico and Guttuso. As the collections grew, new additions to the structure were made by architects such as Luigi Consenza who planned to double the size of the building of Bazzani and create a place for contemporary activities and services.

The museum is now considered the ‘Mother museum’ with its contemporary Museum MAXXI as a part of the Park Museums of Rome.

For more information, visit: http://www.gnam.beniculturali.it/

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Edgar Degas's Dopo il bagno

Dopo il bagno. 1886 (circa). 72 x 50. Pastel on paper. Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna

Dopo il bagno is a painting typical of the 1880s in the series ‘nudi’ affiliated with the works of Renoir. The painting is a particularly good example of the painters studies of the movement of the body in a moment of intimacy. Degas’ technique is using pastels in a quick movement that emerges color and light in a very impressionist like manner. The work was bought by the national gallery in 1962.

Degas never intended nor wanted to be defined as an impressionist. Ironically he is considered to be a founder of the movement but claims to be a realist, and prefers to be referred to be so. His portraits are considered to be among the finest in the history of art. He is one of the French artists most readily appraised in Italy due to his portraits of female nudes in their depictions of movement, as exemplified by Dopo il bagno.

Apart from his nudes, Degas was interested in capturing moments, like most impressionist, that represented modern day life. Rather than painting plein air landscapes, he was fascinated by theater and cafe scenes that used artificial lighting and bustling city life to fill the canvas. People most remember his ballerinas and dancer paintings that bring to life the stage and movement of dance.

Famous Degas Paintings:

1.        2. 

3.     4.

1. Degas, Edgar. Blue Dancers. 1899. Oil on canvas. 25.59 in x 25.59 in. Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia
2. Degas, Edgar. Little Dancer of Fourteen Years. 1881. Bronze. MT Abraham Foundation.
3. Degas, Edgar. Two Dancers on Stage. 1874. Oil on canvas. 18.11 in x 24.02 in.
4. Degas, Edgar. Two Dancers Resting. 1910. Charcoal on paper. Musée d’Orsay, Paris.
Credit: Edgar Degas—The Bridgeman Art Library/Getty Images

i. ‘Edward Degas: The Complete Works’ in Edward Degas (online). http://www.edgar-degas.org/[last sited: 13:43, 01/04/2014]
ii.‘gli artisti e le opere: dopo il bagno’ in GNMA (online) http://www.gnam.beniculturali.it/index.php?it/23/gli-artisti-e-le-opere/400/dopo-il-bagno [last sited: 13:33, 01/04/2014]
iii. Schenkel, Ruth. ‘Edgar Degas (1834–1917): Painting and Drawing’ in The Metropolitan Museum of Art (online). Department of European Painting. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/dgsp/hd_dgsp.htm [last sited: 13:47, 01/04/2014]

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Gaetano Cellini's humanity against evil 

l'umanita contro il male. 1908. Marble. Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna

'Così ti sterperò coi denti e l'ugne / Dolore eterno che nel cor mi pugne'

'So you strip it with you teeth and tongue. Exterior pain that forever fights my heart.'

L'umanita contro il male is an allegorical sculpture that represents the battle between man and the forces of nature. The style reflects Michelangelo through a Rodin elaboration. The piece itself represents Cellini’s first phase of artistic production. It’s first prototype in ‘gesso’ was exhibited at the National Exposition of Milan in 1906 where it received the prize of Premio Fumagalli dell'Accademia di Brera. After such a recognition, the marble commission was quickly made. 

i. ‘gli artisti e le opere: L'umanità contro il male’ in Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna (online)

http://www.gnam.beniculturali.it/index.php?it/23/gli-artisti-e-le-opere/502/lumanit-contro-il-male [last sited: 18:17, 01/02/2014]

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Paolo Troubetzkoy's Mia moglie

Mia moglie. 1911. Bronze. Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna

Son of Russian diplomat Prince Peter Petrovich Troubetzkoy, the artist depicted the society of the Belle Epoque and was considered to be the most demanded portrait sculptures of the international aristocaratic scene of the turn of the century. Troubetzkoy learned sculpture from Giuseppe Grandi,, though he claims to be a self taught artist. His impressionist sculptures are famous for simple gestures with grand representation in bronze. Mia moglie is a portrait of Elin Sundstrom.


Troubetzkoy's Work:

1.  2. 3. 

1. Troubetzkoy, Paulo. Standing Girl. 1894. Bronze.  

2. Troubetzkoy, Paulo. Model Resting. 1900. bronze. 41 x 37 cm

3. Troubetzkoy, Paulo. Madame Felix Deocri (detail). 1908. 45x53 cm. bronze.

i, Horswell, Edward. Prince Paul Troubetzkoy: The Belle Epoque Captured in Bronze. Exhition catalogue, 21 May-27 June, 2008. London: Sladmore, 2008. http://issuu.com/artsolution/docs/sladmore_prince_paul_troubetzkoy_-_the_belle_epoqu

ii, ‘Paolo Troubetzkoy’ in Artic (Online) http://www.artic.edu/sites/default/files/libraries/pubs/1912/AIC1912Troubetzkoy_comb.pdf [last sited: 19:00, 01/02/2014]
iii. ‘Paolo Troubetzkoy’ in wikipedia (online). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paolo_Troubetzkoy [last sited: 19:00, 01/02/2014]

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Giovanni Boldini's Portrait of Mademoiselle Lanthèlme 

Ritratto di Mademoiselle Lanthèlme. 1907. 

Boldini, the "Master of Swish", once the artist moved to london in the late 17th century became known as a portraitist. Geneviève Lanthèlme was an actris and singer who self portrait is a famous Maison Doucet and inspired Marcel Proust’s painting of actrice Rachel in Il tempo ritrovato.

‘Giovanni Boldini embodies the vibrant and easy genius, mastery mail always better to serve the pleasure of the senses, the artist of extreme decadence with several among the gimmicks that were ignored by the Italian masters of the great epochs.’- Blanche, 1931


Other Boldini Works:

1. 2. 

1. Boldini, Giovanni. Spanish Dancer at the Moulin Rouge. 1905. Oil on canvas. 125.1 x 101.92 cm
2. Boldini, Giovanni.Portrait Of Rita De Acosta Lydig. 1911. Oil on canvas. 180.3 x 110 cm

i. ‘Giovanni Boldini’ in Encyclopedia Daubau (online). http://daubau.it/enciclopedia/Giovanni_Boldini [last sited: 19:00, 01/02/2014]
ii. ‘Giovanni Boldini’ in Encyclopedia Wikipedia (online) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Boldini

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