Washing in the Sun

In the 1880s, Lombardy began to play an active part in Italian art. The movement that originated there declared its loyalty to the great Italian tradition, and was particularly interested in atmospherics of light, colour, and texture. In the 1890s, such work came into its own with divisionist or pointillist paintings.

In the work of Pellizza, the most important Lombard Neo-Impressionist, the goals of the leading French pointillist, Seurat, were most consistently pursued. This was apparent not only in his relinquishing romantic natural scenes such as Impressionism favoured, and preferring an art based upon ideas; he also dispensed with clear outlines, and used strong contrasts of juxtaposed colours. His thematic range was great, and included curiously symbolic paintings such as Washing in the Sun.