Francesco Lojacono (1838-1915) - Marina con pescatori e barche a vela, Sicilia

FRANCESCO LOJACONO
(Palermo, 1838 – 1915)
Marina with Fishermen and Sailing Boats, Sicily
Oil on panel, 17.5 x 24 cm
Signed bottom right: “F. LOJACONO”
Frame size, 35 x 42 x 3 cm (approx.)

NOTE: Publication catalog of the Intermidiart collection works (Pdf). Signed bottom right. Certificate of Genuine Provenance. Work with gilded frame (defects):

We present in the catalog an interesting painting linked to the Sicilian school from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century, originating from a prestigious collection that has historically safeguarded it.
The work under consideration constitutes a refined example of Francesco Lojacono’s mature production devoted to the marine views and coastal scenery of Sicily, subjects particularly loved and studied by the artist throughout his long career.
The painting unfolds through a balanced and dynamic composition. On the right, a clay cliff forms a slope that gently descends toward the sea, crowned by dense Mediterranean vegetation in which the shaded canopy of several sea pines stands out with taxonomic precision. On the left, the viewer’s gaze is drawn toward the calm water’s surface, where a strip of rock in the foreground hosts several tiny figures of fishermen and passersby caught in a moment of quiet daily life. Farther away, the horizon line is marked by the hazy profile of the mountains and the presence of small boats with lateen sails, which impart dynamism and depth to the overall scene.
The true protagonist of the composition is the study of atmospheric light. Lojacono adopts a palette dominated by warm earth tones and browns for the coast, which vibrate in contrast with the blue, azure, and silver hues of the sea and sky, partially veiled by light clouds. The painting technique, free yet expertly controlled, reveals the master’s skill in rendering water’s transparency and the ever-changing reflections of sunlight. The work is not merely a documentary view, but an intimate and poetic celebration of the island coastal landscape, fully meeting the quality standards of the nineteenth-century Sicilian landscape school.
Francesco Lojacono is unanimously regarded as the most important and influential Sicilian landscape painter of the second half of the nineteenth century. Born in Palermo in 1838, he received his first lessons from his father Luigi, a painter of historical scenes, before moving to Naples in 1856 to study at the Giacinto Gigante’s school, leader of the Posillipo School. The crucial encounter for his artistic maturation, however, came with Filippo Palizzi, who steered him toward a lyrical verism and an analytical and scientific observation of nature.
Nicknamed by contemporaries “the thief of the sun” or “the painter of light” for his extraordinary ability to capture the zenithal luminosity and Mediterranean reflections, Lojacono succeeded in fusing a rigorous rendering of truth with a deep affection for nature. In 1870 he was named Professor of Landscape at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Palermo. His fame crossed the island’s borders, allowing him to exhibit successfully in Paris, Vienna, and at the Venice Biennials, and attracting illustrious patrons, including the Italian royal family. He died in his hometown in 1915.
His œuvre is today represented in important public collections and Italian museum institutions, including the Galleria d’Arte Moderna in Palermo, and it constitutes a fundamental reference for understanding the development of landscape painting in Sicily from the second half of the nineteenth century to the early twentieth century.
The painting, of excellent artistic and chromatic rendering, presents in good condition with aging signs visible from the photos. Bottom right bears the artist’s signature “F. Lojacono.” The canvas, of good painting hand, is framed in a gilded and striking frame (frame size, about 35 x 42 x 3 cm, defects). The frame shown in the photos above was added to the artwork by the seller or a third party. The frame is provided at no additional cost so that it is ready to display upon arrival. 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 Sicilian collection, Work kept at the Fondazione L’Immacolata per l’Arte e la Cultura.

Publication:
- I Miti e il Territorio nella Sicilia dalle mille culture. INEDITA QUADRERIA general catalog of the paintings from the cycle “I Miti e il territorio,” 2026 (Pdf).

In the case of sale outside Italian territory, the buyer must await the processing times for export procedures.