Andrea Markò (1824-1895) - Paesaggio

Andrea Markò (Vienna, 1824 – Viareggio, 1895), Landscape, tempera on paper, the only work measures 33x14 cm, signed lower right. Excellent condition in a gilt frame contemporary to the period.

Born in Vienna in 1824, Andrea Markó received his first training from his father, the renowned Károly Markó the Elder, and refined his skills at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna under Carl Rahl. Following in his father’s and brother Carlo the Younger's footsteps, he settled in Italy, choosing Florence as his operational center. His career was international and prolific: he traveled widely through Europe, documenting not only Italian landscapes but also distant lands of Russia.
His historical significance lies chiefly in his contribution to the birth of the Scuola di Staggia. Together with his brother Carlo and Serafino De Tivoli, Markó began to portray the Tuscan countryside with an innovative approach, paving the way for the Macchiaioli movement. Recognized as a master of his time, he earned prestigious prizes at the Florence Exhibition (1860) and at the Vienna International Exhibition (1873). He was appointed professor at the academies of Florence, Urbino, and Milan, and was also a member of the Brussels Society of Watercolorists. He died in Viareggio in 1895.

Markó’s work is distinguished by a prudent use of earthy tones and by the ability to depict expansive landscapes animated by tiny human or animal figures, which confer upon the scenes a sense of depth and epic breadth. His style represents a fascinating transition between the classical “ideal” landscape and the newer plein-air painting of splotch (macchia) which pays closer attention to atmospheric truth and the natural data captured en plein air.
His production is extremely varied: from dramatic scenes to snowy views of Russia, to the famous scenes of the Tuscan Maremma. His canvases are characterized by a meticulous technique that never sacrifices the rendering of light, making his paintings highly sought after by European and American collectors. Markó possessed the rare ability to ennoble the rural landscape, turning views of copses or valleys into compositions of great academic rigor and poetic quality, establishing himself as a cultural bridge between the Viennese academic tradition and Italian modernity.