Additional information
| Artist | Gianni |
|---|---|
| Country | Maltese, Italian |
| Region | European |
ArtistGianni, Girolamo
Artist Years1837-895
Artist NationalityMaltese, Italian
TitleView of Valletta (Malta)
Year1877
MediumPainting > Oil
DimensionsBoard: 7 X 14.3 inches
Description
Oil on paper board, signed “G. Gianni . 1877” lower right corner.
Accession NumberRC1876
NotesGirolamo Gianni was a native of Naples. He discovered Malta when he travelled there in 1867, and he eventually settled there with his family for 20 years. He became well-known for small souvenir paintings, but also received many commissions for works in larger format. It seems he should not be confused with Giacinto Gianni. He specialised in busy Neapolitan street scenes and views of the Bay that included Vesuvius, and similar scenes in Malta, especially Valletta and its port. His paintings are valued for what they show of the life of his times, and he had several followers.
'The most important topographer of the Maltese Islands in the latter part of the 19th Century, Girolamo Gianni virtually heads the School but remains the outstanding exponent...' (The International Dictionary of Artists who painted Malta by Nicholas de Piro) Gianni first came to Malta in 1866, on a short excursion to assess the market for his painting there. He obviously felt there was good money to be made, as he stayed, and, over the next twenty years, built up a successful business, eventually passed onto his two daughters. His success was founded on his ability to represent a nostalgic, romantic ideal of Malta that appealed to foreign visitors, particularly the British; a highly lucrative market, since Malta was governed by the British. It was not all tourist pictures though, he had some prominent patrons, including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. Some confusion surrounds Gianni's first name; he signed himself 'G Gianni' and is often confused with the artist signing himself 'Gian Gianni', though they are distinct. The Getty Union List of Artist's Names recognizes only Giancinto Gianni, but most Maltese authorities (including the National Museum of Fine Arts in Malta), now refer to him as Girolamo Gianni.
(source: wikipedia.org)