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Tuesday

Italian Landscape Painter Alessandro La Volpe (1819-1887)

Harbor View of Naples

The talented landscape painter Alessandro La Volpe was born in Lucera, Italy, where his father was employed by the Royal College. Upon graduation, the young Alexander moved to Naples, the important European city at the time. There he attended the Academy of Fine Arts. At the age of about 30, in search of experience, he travels to Sicily Egypt, where he paints many landscapes revealing precise compositional skills.

Palazzo Donna Anna with Vesuvius in the background

Soon La Volpe moved to Florence where he co-founded the "School of the Romantic Landscape," the so-called "School of Staggia" (1852-1855).
La Volpe was also a talented watercolorist, his meticulous technique based on the English traditions.
Later in life La Volpe moved to Rome, where he died suffering, probably, of mental illness.
His paintings are kept in private collections and major museums in the world, particularly in England.

Friday

Paris in Painting by French Artist Antoine Blanchard (1910-1988)


Born in France in a small village, Antoine Blanchard (Marcel Masson) was studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Rennes where he learned sculpture and drawing. Upon graduating, Antoine received Le Prix du Ministre, the schools highest award. He moved to Paris in 1932 and enrolled in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts.
In 1939 the artist got married and the same year he was called up for military service; he returned to his art only in 1942.