Ferdinando Silvani (1823-1899) - Venezia, Rio Ca' Bernardo

AUTHOR

Ferdinando Silvani (1823-1899) was an Italian painter and engraver. Born in Parma, he distinguished himself as one of the most authoritative figures at the Academy of Fine Arts in his city, where he perfected a technical skill of exceptional caliber in both painting and engraving. It was precisely the latter that earned him recognition among his contemporaries: his ability to translate the works of great masters, particularly Correggio, into copper plates of incredible finesse allowed him to spread the beauty of Parma’s art throughout Europe. Yet he did not limit himself to reproduction alone, for his original painting production reflected a balance between academic composure and Romantic inspiration, nourished by a deep formal rigor and a very refined chromatic sensibility."}

Alongside sacred subjects and portraits, Silvani showed a particular predilection for landscapes, finding in the majestic mountain scenes and in the evocative Venetian views ideal subjects to express his atmospheric sensibility. Venice, with its reflections and changing light, offered the artist the spur to experiment with tonal variations of rare elegance, while the Alpine peaks became a theatre of a more austere and solemn naturalistic contemplation. He died in 1899.

Description

"Venezia, Rio Ca' Bernardo", oil on panel, 48×40 cm with frame, 31×23 cm the panel alone, signed lower left, datable to the last quarter of the 19th century. On the back a pencil note bearing the inscription "Motivo in Rio Ca' Bernardo", presumably written by the artist himself, another later note bearing "Gardone 26-3-49".

The author who captures with rare sensitivity an intimate glimpse of Venetian life, far from the more monumental and touristy views.
The subject depicts an ancient façade that sinks directly into the canal waters, where ogival arches and shadow openings create a quiet, silent architectural rhythm. A boat, moored on the right, serves as the narrative and visual focal point, grounding the scene in an everyday dimension. The composition develops through a tight dialogue between the solidity of stone and the fluidity of the lagoon, with emerald-green reflections rippling on the chipped walls, merging architecture and nature into a single atmospheric vision of great impact.

From a technical standpoint, the painting is an example of Silvani's maturity and his evolution toward a thick, vibrant, and tactile brushwork. The chromatic play is built on an effective contrast between the warm tones of bricks, ochre, browns and burnt earth, and the saturated variations of water, where the color is laid on with confident strokes that catch the grazing light of the moment. The work, executed on a small-format panel, is absolutely emblematic of Silvani's en plein air production, who often used this support, creating paintings of modest size. This support allowed the artist to work quickly outdoors, transferring to the surface the immediate emotion of the truth and the mutability of lagoon light. A work of fresh and refined composition with a pleasant aesthetic impact.

Condition Report

Excellent overall condition, with the entire piece painted with vivid and clearly visible color and brushwork. The frame is to be understood as a complimentary.

Tracked and insured shipment with adequate packaging.