Giuseppe De Nittis

Oil on panel. From a first hand inspection the edges look irregular (also visible from the picture in the catalogue). The support is in very good condition. The ultra violet light reveals no retouches nor restoration. The overall condition as to the state of preservation is very good.
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Reca sul retro della cornice il n. 23500

Il dipinto presentato, raffigurante una passeggiata sotto un grigio cielo inglese, è verosimilmente databile a uno dei primi soggiorni londinesi dell'artista. De Nittis, già trasferitosi a Parigi da alcuni anni, si recò a Londra a più riprese tra il 1874 e il 1879, muovendosi con disinvoltura in un ambiente mondano e internazionale. Questa tavoletta esemplifica con brevi tratti nervosi una delle sue tematiche preferite, infatti il brulichio cittadino, le frequentazioni dei caffé, le figure eleganti, sono i soggetti che in particolare ama ritrarre. Un'opera con lo stesso soggetto, realizzata anch'essa con poche rapide pennellate (fig.1), è pubblicata nel catalogo generale di P. Dini e G. L. Marini (n.234).

The painting we show, represents a walk under an English grey sky, probably datable back to the artist's first Londoner stay. De Nittis, already moved in Paris, frequently went to London between the 1874 and the 1879, moving with confidence along a social and international environment. This drawing on board exemplifies one of his preferred basic themes with some short and tense strokes; in fact the urban swarming, the attendances of the cafes, the smart figures, are the subjects that in particular he likes to represent. There is another work with the same subject, realized with a few rapid brushstrokes (picture 1), published in the general catalogue by P.Dini and G.L. Marini (n.234).