The exhibition incorporates paintings and drawing works inspired by the inimitable genius of this place. The very title “O dolce Napoli”, a famous line from the popular Neapolitan song contains a quintessence of particular attitude to the town. Unlike the classical Florence or carnival Venice, Naples has soft coastal climate and puts one into a blissful atmosphere of indolent loll -"dolce far niente”.
The basis of the display will be works by Russian landscape painter Silvester Shchedrin (1791–1830) from Tretyakov Gallery and artists of “Posillipo school” from Correale Museum (Sorrento, Italy).
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| F. Catel.The grot.Amalfi.1818-1824 |
The time boundaries reflects the period in history when the Russian empire and the Neapolitan kingdom were politically friendly. In the precincts of the town lived and worked many merited Russian painters. Sylivester Schedrin (1791–1830) was possibly the most well-known “Russian Neapolitan”. First time after long restoration two of his landscapes is presented to the wide public: “Naples. On the Embankment. (Riviera di Chiaia),” 1919 and the subsequent "View of Naples", 1826.
Other famed Russian artists like Kiprensky, Bryullov and Ivanov are also represented in portrait as well as in genre canvases – truthful depictions of the town life. The poetical perception of roturier’s way of life is reflected in sketches by F.Catel and F.Palizzi.
Significant role in Neapolitan pictorial art pertains to so-called “Posillipo school”, also exposed. This artistic school emerged as a reaction on Italian classicism, appearing in landscape as a decorative makeover of the real nature.
Large-scale display will include the series of gouaches by Italian painters. These curious works depicting beloved views of the Bay of Naples and town panoramas pre existed the memorable postcards.
In toto there are near 100 works from Russian and Italian museums and private collections exhibited. Comparison of the works supposed to educe vividly the distinctive character of national artistic schools.
