Gustavo Nacciarone

Gustavo Nacciarone was born in Naples on 28 February 1831, the son of Nicola, a music teacher, and brother of the pianist Guglielmo. He trained at the Libera scuola (Free School) of the Teramo painter Giuseppe Bonolis, from whom he inherited the plastic strength of his figures, the volumetric rendering of bodies and a solid mastery of composition.

History painting: the legacy of Domenico Morelli

From a young age, he adhered to the reform of history painting promoted by Domenico Morelli. In his diary, he wrote in front of a sketch by the master: ‘a vision of fascinating sentimentality,’ highlighting his early recognition of the importance of the new poetics. His friendship with Morelli led him to collect letters, papers and drawings, including a sketch of Victor Hugo, which are now part of the state collections after being sold at auction by Christie’s.

In 1855, he made his debut at the Fine Arts Exhibition of the Royal Bourbon Museum with The Death of Robert, which received the grand silver medal. Contrary to what some biographers claim, he did not interrupt his artistic career: he participated in the first edition of the Society for the Promotion of Fine Arts in Naples with Woman in a Mask and Isabella Orsini with her Page, works in which he adopted a veristic language, with studies of light, colour and the naturalistic rendering of costumes and objects.

In 1864, he exhibited La sorpresa (The Surprise) and La cripta nel duomo di Napoli (The Crypt in Naples Cathedral) at the Neapolitan Promotrice, the latter being appreciated by Francesco Netti. In 1866, he participated with Maria Stuarda nel parco della regina (Mary Stuart in the Queen’s Park) and Veronica Cibo. At the V Promotrice in 1867-68, he presented Ella cerca un fiore (She Seeks a Flower) and Una contadina (A Peasant Woman), which were awarded to Giovanni Vonwiller and Mariano Tasso respectively. In 1869, he exhibited La Fioraia (The Flower Girl), awarded to Prince Umberto, and in 1871, La romanza favorita (The Favourite Romance).

Orientalism

In the 1870s, he explored the Orientalist genre: in 1873, he exhibited Gulhanam, while in 1878, he presented Ogni canto dell’harem può esser così (Every Song in the Harem Can Be Like This), purchased by the king for 750 lire and preserved at the Capodimonte Museum. These works highlight his attention to the female figure, with sensual odalisques and settings that blend Oriental elements and Neapolitan characteristics, designed for upper-middle-class collectors.

Alongside Orientalism, he developed views from life and scenes of everyday life. In 1882, his Costa di Posillipo (Posillipo Coast) qualified him as one of the best Neapolitan artists, praised for his “admirably rendered sketches of women”. In the same year, he produced illustrations for L’Illustrazione Italiana, including drawings of monuments and Pompeian frescoes for articles by Carlo Del Balzo.

At the 1883 Exhibition, he exhibited Nell’harem (In the Harem) and Haidée, the latter inspired by Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, which was also presented at the 1884 National Exhibition in Turin. In 1880, he anticipated his interest in Japonism with La Giapponese (The Japanese Woman), followed in 1884 by Nel Giappone (In Japan), I fiori al sepolcro (Flowers at the Tomb) (purchased by Umberto I), Coste di Posillipo (Coasts of Posillipo) and an untitled watercolour. He sent two watercolours, Una Giapponese (A Japanese Woman) and Odalisca (Odalisque), to the National Exhibition in Bologna in 1888. The Ricci Oddi Gallery in Piacenza has an oil on canvas, Giapponesina (Little Japanese Woman), from the artist’s collections.

At the same time, he developed an interest in Neopompeian painting. In 1881, he presented Epistola di Plinio (Pliny’s Epistle), depicting a young slave girl repelled by a foul-smelling plume of smoke at the well in the courtyard. He participated in the First Italian-Spanish Art Exhibition in Berlin (1883) with Scena in Pompei (Scene in Pompeii) and in the Italian Exhibition in London (1888) with Un’offerta (An Offering).

The figure of Giambattista Pergolesi became a central theme. At the Promotrice in Naples in 1888, he exhibited Quando corpus morietur…, which was shown again in 1889 at the Promotrice in Turin. At the Milan Triennale in 1891, he presented Le ultime ore di Giambattista Pergolesi (The Last Hours of Giambattista Pergolesi) (1890), which was purchased by the Ministry of Education for the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome and subsequently sent to the Museum of S. Martino in Naples. Subsequent versions were exhibited at the National Exhibition in Palermo (1891-92) and at the 6th International Art Exhibition in Munich (1892).

Exhibition success

Nacciarone regularly participated in exhibitions at Brera and the Promotrice in Turin, as well as in some editions of the Promotrice in Genoa: in 1881, he exhibited Pompei and Una Giapponese. Through his relationships with collectors such as the Maglione and Rotondo families, he promoted the inclusion of contemporary artists, including Vincenzo Gemito, among important Neapolitan patrons and curated museum bequests, such as that of the Rotondo family to the Museum of San Martino.

Among his sacred commissions, he participated in the decoration of the cathedral of Altamura with a San Vincenzo de’ Paoli. He taught perspective and ornamentation at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples from 1894 and directed the Vergini evening school, without receiving the title of honorary professor.

He continued to exhibit at the Promotrici Napoletane, alternating between Orientalist, Japanese, Neo-Pompeian themes and scenes of everyday life: in 1885 Curiosità pericolosa (Dangerous Curiosity), in 1886 Adsitis, Divi neu vos de paupere mensa dona, nec e puris spernite fictilibus (Adsitis, Divi neu vos de paupere mensa dona, nec e puris spernite fictilibus) and an untitled watercolour, in 1890 Chiesa di San Gregorio Armeno (Church of San Gregorio Armeno) (purchased by Umberto I) and in 1894 In cerca di sogni (In Search of Dreams).

Gustavo Nacciarone died in Naples on 26 June 1929, leaving behind a large and diverse body of work, ranging from intimate realism to Orientalism, Japonism and Neopompeianism, marking a fundamental chapter in Neapolitan painting in the second half of the 19th century.

Stefano Bosi