Antonio Mancini | La lacrima, 1883-1890

Dopo un duro ricovero nel manicomio Provinciale di Napoli nel 1881, Antonio Mancini (1852-1930) trovò ospitalità a Roma, presso gli zii Andrea e Noemi, e durante il suo soggiorno in città può dedicarsi alla pittura utilizzando i nipoti come modelli.

In questa tela si vede infatti Agrippina, con lo sguardo delicato e sofferente e gli occhi lucidi inumiditi dalle lacrime.

Proprio questo dettaglio dà il titolo all’opera, e si dice fosse stato un rimprovero del pittore a far scaturire il pianto.

Antonio Mancini | La lacrima, 1883-1890 (detail) | GAM - Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Milano

Massimo D'Azeglio | A vendetta, 1834-1835

"A Vendetta" is an oil on canvas by Massimo D'Azeglio, created in 1834-1835.

The painting, measuring 179 x 225 cm, is part of the collection of the GAM - Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Milano.

Massimo Taparelli, Marquess of Azeglio (24 October 1798 - 15 January 1866), commonly called Massimo d'Azeglio, was an artist, writer and minister during the Italian Risorgimento.

A vendetta belongs to the historical landscape genre - this refers to landscape paintings drawn "from life" or in a realistic fashion, but populated with figures from history or literature.

Massimo D'Azeglio | Una vendetta, 1834-1835 | GAM - Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Milano

Giovanni Segantini | The Two Mothers / Le due madri, 1889

"The Two Mothers" is an 1889 oil painting by Giovanni Segantini (Italian painter, 1858-1899).

This work is a product of the Divisionist technique and measuring 301x162.5 cm.

It is part of the collection of the GAM - Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Milan.

Presented at the inaugural Milan Triennale in 1891, alongside "Maternità" (Maternity) by Gaetano Previati (1858-1899), "Le due madri" is one of Segantini's most celebrated and talked-about works, and affirmed the revolutionary new technique known as Divisionism.

Giovanni Segantini | Le due madri, 1889 | olio su tela; 301x162.5 cm | GAM - Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Milano

Gaetano Previati | Maternity, 1890-1891 | From Scandal to Masterpiece

The "Maternity" is a monumental painting in which the Italian symbolist painter Gaetano Previati (1852-1920) interpreted the theme of Christian tradition in a secular way.

The painting was completed between 1890 and 1891 resides at the GAM - Gallery of Modern Art in Milan.

The "Maternity" has a complex and tormented genesis, not only due to the difficulties connected with the unconventional interpretation of a great theme, but also because of the high costs of making a painting of monumental dimensions (177 x 411 cm) .

A fundamental work, the painting represents a turning point in Previati's career and a manifesto of the new divisionist painting.

Gaetano Previati | Maternità, 1890-1891 | GAM - Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Milano

Giovanni Segantini | L’angelo della vita (Dea cristiana), 1894

The Angel of Life (Christian Goddess) was commissioned in 1891 or shortly before by the banker Leopoldo Albini, together with the Pagan Goddess, now exhibited alongside it.

The two works were intended to form a diptych on the theme of women, a mystical mother in the case of the painting considered here, a worldly and lustful vision in the other.

The two figures are portraits of the family nanny, Baba, and of her son Gottardo (painted from memory, since he must have been twelve years old at the time).

Giovanni Segantini | L’angelo della vita (Dea cristiana), 1894 (detaglio) | GAM - Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Milano