1950s Italian Signed Landscape Painting

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A beautiful and evocative painting by vittorio tom novelli, a rare artist from the roman school of the first half … Read more A beautiful and evocative painting by vittorio tom novelli, a rare artist from the roman school of the first half of the 20th century.
signed and dated lower left "vittorio novelli '58"
a sort of hyperrealism inspired by van gogh’s immortal style pervades this delightful bucolic landscape painted in oil on masonite; from the magical atmosphere conveyed by this small masterpiece, one senses that we are in the midst of a beautiful, warm and sunny summer’s day, one of those days when one seeks refuge beneath the foliage of beautiful trees and quenches one’s thirst with cool water from the well.
the harmonious power of the fusion of colours makes this painting a prime example of the supreme artistry of this highly talented artist.

vittorio tom noveworked as a realist painter and was active on the roman scene between the 1940s and 1970s.

he distinguished himself for his talent in drawing from life and oil painting, as well as having made watercolors and floral works.

in december 1954 he held a major solo exhibition at the grand hotel in rome.

he is famous in the art world for running a studio/atelier in rome where he led young talents.

a famous example is the artist enrico guarino, who began studying real drawing in novelli's studio at the age of ten.
the following is the accompanying text for an exhibition held by vittorio tom novelli in 1950 at one of italy’s most prestigious art galleries

"as i set out to give a brief and cordial introduction to the solo exhibition of the painter vittorio tom novelli, i confess that i asked myself a question: how will this exhibition be received by critics and art lovers; that is, by those who, whether by profession or personal taste, are accustomed to visiting exhibitions of this kind?
a quick glance at the exhibition as a whole will suffice to explain the reason for this question.
how different, indeed, novelli’s painting appears from the style that reigns supreme today in every exhibition hall!
and how different, above all, are his intentions!
but let us be clear from the outset: our tom is not making any polemical point with his exhibition; if anything, all his paintings speak to us of a rebellion, of an intimate—and solely intimate—desire to swim against the tide.
and perhaps there is no need to speak of courage at all, for when an artist is driven to express himself through a particular form of expression by his own spiritual need, it would take courage to take the opposite path.
vittorio tom novelli has therefore felt a powerful need to reconnect with tradition: this is why this exhibition of his will appear, to critics and art lovers alike, at the very least, unusual.
few paintings — about forty in all — but marked by certain characteristics that immediately reveal the artist’s personality.
first of all, the size of the paintings, which tend to grow ever larger, as if the artist were drawn to the challenges of space; then, the subject matter of his paintings, in which the figure predominates: a difficult subject, as everyone knows.
a few nudes, a handful of still lifes and flowers: this is the language through which vittorio tom novelli aspires to express himself.
but it is clearly a language that is plain and straightforward, with no problems to be resolved.
above all, it is a sincere language.
how could it be otherwise, after all?
anyone who addresses a gathering of listeners without seeking to profit from their words has the right to be considered sincere.
and vittorio tom novelli does not expect to profit from his paintings.
he does not sell them.
he simply presents them to the public’s attention, like someone who merely wishes to find an outlet for the feelings pressing within him.
it is clear that from this lack of self-interest, art can only derive a sense of dignity.
to the soul of an artist, the commercialisation of one’s own creation easily appears as the sin of simony.
with these introductory words of mine, i have not expressed, nor did i wish to express, judgements of any kind.
that is what the public is for.
but one final warning comes to me from the artist himself, who today faces judgement: his exhibition is not a goal achieved, but rather a starting point from which he, with humble and patient tenacity, has set out on a path without knowing or asking where it will lead him. He wishes only to walk, to move forward.
and in this profession of faith of his, another rendezvous between the painter and his audience appears, implicitly.
when? where? only the future will tell us."
ermete liberati

ermete liberati (1902–1960) was an active journalist and critic, known in italian cultural and theatrical life between the 1920s and 1930s.

he was a very active journalist in italian theatrical life, writing articles on art criticism and various genres, as well as being the author of music and lyrics.

in 1932 he was about 30 years old, as evidenced by photographic documentation of the time that portrays him together with exponents of roman culture such as anna magnani.

in 1926 he married tatiana fedorovna saljapina, daughter of the famous bass fedor saljapin

this artwork, never before on the market, comes from an important european private collection and is beautified by an impressive original frame, in almost perfect condition.




dimensions are frame included this piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less