Italian painter. He studied in Venice under Pompeo Molmenti (1819-1894), and his early works are in the style of the Venetian Macchiaioli. In later years, he painted landscapes and portraits as well as highly successful pathetic and religious subjects, where his initial verism shaded into a conventional melancholy in the manner of Francesco Paolo Michetti (1851-1929).
There are strong social overtones in this painting. It reveals a clear interest in the human figure, which becomes the focal feature of the scene.
Luigi Nono was one of the leading exponents of social realism. In his Ave Maria, a young mother has come to pray, carrying her infant in her arms. In the monumental tones he uses for her, the woman is given the same dignity as the Virgin. Unlike his other paintings, here Nono does not fail to capture the twilight, a lighted lamp silhouetted against the graying sky.
Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 6 minutes):
Franz Schubert: Ave Maria (Hail, Mary), Franz Liszt’s transcription
Exhibited at Brera in 1873, the painting alludes to the foothills that frame the town of Polcinego. The artist was a frequent visitor to the area, finding inspiration for paintings with vibrant notes of colour.
