ZUCCARELLI, Francesco

The Tuscan painter Francesco Zuccarelli came to Venice in 1732. He was familiar with trends in European painting, having visited London and Paris. His ideal pastoral landscapes are characterized by an arcadian grace in the use of colour, by a harmonious rhythm of gesture, a softness of tone and a hazy atmosphere filling the spacious vistas. In the idyllic countryside, pastoral or mythological scenes are set against a brilliant green or water-side background. The paintings are sentimental, sometimes achieving a refined lyricism in keeping with the light-hearted ideals of the time.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 7 minutes):

Camille Saint-Saëns: Samson et Delila, Act III, Scene 2, Bacchanal

Although clever Zuccarelli was fond of landscapes he always had a slight nostalgia for portraiture. In vain was he stunted and distorted, in vain was he enclosed in his isolation, in vain was this longing suppressed by the freer, fresher and more fluid talent of the born landscape painter; he stood out from among the mass of his fellow artists. He had a talent, rare among landscape painters for portraiture, too. He began his studies in Florence and Rome and then came under the influence of Venice and of Ricci. It was during this period (1732-1751) that he painted his best pictures of the lagoons.

Bull-Hunting is connected with a trend akin to Central European or rather French culture (Boucher and Fragonard), in which mythological and Arcadian representations (landscapes and customs) were virtually “compulsory”. This seems to have been the cultural trend of the period, a culture conveyed by channels that, although not of Italian origin, clearly revealed the deep feelings of the age. The starting-point of the picture is the game of the same name, which took place on the piazza in front of San Polo. Documentary art was the artist’s speciality, and accordingly, setting out from this open-air game, he represented his theme in nature, idyllically and, at the same time, solemnly, for this was the subject with which he could display his gifts best.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 3 minutes):

Georges Bizet: Carmen, Prelude

This large pastoral landscape was executed in a refined style, rich in delicate surface vibrations in line with the tastes of the time. It is an elegant representation of great freshness and naturalness.

This painting and its pendant (Landscape with a Castle, also in the Budapest museum) were inspired by the landscapes of Salvator Rosa. It was painted in Venice, where the young painter was intent on getting his career under way but looking elsewhere for inspiration.

In this composition, a well-calibrated fusion of elements creates a bucolic idyll in which dreamy characters and Arcadian nature come together in an ideal vision.

The abduction is represented in an idyllic setting, enhanced by the green of the lawns and the blue of the water, in the typical tonalities of Zuccarelli.

Much loved by collectors, Zuccarelli specialized in painting luminous Arcadian landscapes. His Tuscan origins are suggested by the clarity and rationality of his compositions. The figures, drawn from classical myths, enhance the refined aristocratic quality of his paintings. The Rape of Europa has always been considered one of Zuccarelli’s masterpieces.

This canvas was painted for the Pisani family who still owned it at the end of the 18th century in their villa at Stra. The abduction is represented in an idyllic setting, enhanced by the green of the lawns and the blue of the water, in the typical tonalities of Zuccarelli.