Attilio Pratella (1856–1949) - Impressione (Paesaggio)

ATTILIO PRATELLA
(Lugo di Romagna, RA 1856 – Naples, 1949)
Impression (Landscape)
Oil on cardboard, cm. 16.5 x 19.5
Signed ‘A. PRATELLA’ bottom right
Framing size, cm. 33 x 36 x 3 approx.

NOTE: Publication catalog Intermidiart. Signed bottom right. Certificate of Legitimate Provenance. Work with frame (defects):

This exquisite study, known under the title Landscape, is the work of the renowned painter Attilio Pratella (Lugo di Romagna, 1856 – Naples, 1949). Numerous works by the artist bear explicitly the titles Impressions or Impression, testimony to his constant intention to fix on canvas a pure and immediate visual moment, as also occurs in the present case.
The painting fully belongs to the mature production of the master, characterized by a palette dominated by luminous colors, notable chromatic freshness, and a particular attention to the atmospheric datum. The paint material, thick and creamy, rests on refined tonal exploration and a “spot painting” technique, in which shapes are not defined by rigid contours but emerge through vibrant color juxtapositions. This technique allows the artist to grasp, with lyrical sensitivity, both the beauties and the contradictions of the southern landscape.
In this work Pratella confirms his famous ability to capture the ephemeral light of the Neapolitan landscape, using quick and loose brushstrokes to convey the immediate impression of the scenery. The view presents as distinctive elements the plantation, the sky with moved clouds, and, above all, the exaltation of light and color, traits typical of the artist’s works dedicated to this subject.
Attilio Pratella began drawing from a young age and, in 1877, thanks to a scholarship, enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna. The encounter with the landscapes of Antonio Fontanesi, preserved in the Academy’s Pinacoteca, represented a true painting revelation for him. Moving to Naples in 1880, he attended the Institute of Fine Arts and approached the Resina School environment. To support himself financially, he also worked as a decorator of ceramics at the Cacciapuoti factory.
In 1887 he exhibited Il Mattino at the Neapolitan Promotrice, a work selected by Domenico Morelli for the Capodimonte Art Gallery, confirming his recognized talent in the landscape genre. From that moment began a period of great success, marked by a growing number of commissions and participation in important exhibitions in Italy and abroad, including the Venice Biennials and the Paris Salon.
Pratella was also the progenitor of a genuine artistic dynasty: three of his children — Ada, Fausto, and Paolo — followed in his footsteps, establishing themselves as prominent painters. Attilio Pratella died in Naples on 28 April 1949, in his Vomero home, from which he could view Villa Floridiana and daily hear the midday cannon shot from Castel Sant’Elmo.
The described work is presented in good condition, despite aging signs visible in the photos, and bears the artist’s signature at the bottom right. The painting, of good pictorial handling, is enhanced by a gilded and ornate frame (frame size, cm. 33 x 36 x 3 approx., defects). "The frame shown in the photos above has been added to the artwork by the seller or a third party. The frame is provided to you at no additional cost so that it is ready to display as soon as it arrives. The frame is included as a courtesy and is not considered an integral part of the artwork. Therefore, any potential damage to the frame that does not affect the artwork itself will not be accepted as a valid reason to open a claim or request order cancellation."

PROVENANCE: Private Collection

PUBLICATION:
- Unpublished;
- I MITI E IL TERRITORIO in Sicily from a thousand cultures. UNPUBLISHED SQUAD (quadrella) general catalog of paintings from the collection of the cycle “I Miti e il territorio,” Publisher Lab_04, Marsala, 2026 (pdf).

In case of sale outside Italian territory, the buyer must wait for the export procedures to be completed.