Adolfo Tommasi (1851 - 1933) - Giovane seduta

Young woman sitting

Artist: Adolfo Tommasi (Livorno 1851 – Florence 1933)

Technique: Oil on canvas applied on panel.

Period: Late 19th century / Early 20th century (Mature period of the artist)

Company: Adolfo Tommasi (bottom right)

Dimensions: 45 x 52 cm including the frame, 26 x 32 cm the board.

Description: This delightful oil painting on canvas mounted on board, signed by Adolfo Tommasi, sensitively depicts a young female figure sitting on the ground, leaning against a large wheel of a wheelbarrow or a similar rustic element. The scene is set in a rural or work environment, with a large terracotta vase and a background in earthy and blue tones.

The girl wears a simple light blue dress with a neckline that leaves her shoulders exposed, and her feet are bare. Her posture is one of thoughtful repose, with her gaze cast downward, giving the work an atmosphere of intimate melancholy or a peaceful pause from fatigue.

The style is fully attributable to Tommasi's mature period.

Vibrant touches: The brushstroke is concise and vibrant, especially in the treatment of the fabric and background.

Light and Atmosphere: The artist demonstrates his evolution from Macchiaiolismo to a greater focus on luministic and atmospheric research, typical of the Impressionist influences embraced at the end of the century.

Subject: The work falls within the artist's line of rural and genre subjects, in which the artist captures moments of everyday life with a modest and anti-retro poetic style.

Framed in a rich gold frame, this painting represents a beautiful example of Tuscan painting from the late 19th to the early 20th century.
Biographical Notes on Adolfo Tommasi (1851 – 1933)

Adolfo Tommasi was an important Italian painter, born in Livorno in 1851 and died in Florence in 1933. He is considered one of the most significant representatives of the Tuscan post-macchiaiola painting movement.

After high school studies, he dedicated himself to painting. He studied at the Florence Academy, where he was a student of Carlo Markò junior, who introduced him to landscape painting.

The Influence of the Macchiaioli: The pivotal encounter for his art took place at the end of the 1870s, when he met and closely associated with the Macchiaioli master Silvestro Lega, who profoundly influenced his painting in a naturalistic sense.

Stylistic Evolution: Initially linked to a solid conception of color in the style of macchiaioli, Tommasi distinguished himself through genre and landscape painting that garnered great interest. Later, towards the late 1980s, his style opened up to the luministic and atmospheric experiences of Impressionism, while maintaining a personal poetic approach centered on the 'truth' of everyday life, often featuring rural subjects or scenes of daily life.

Preferred Subjects: His work is rich in Tuscan and Ligurian landscapes, marine scenes, and everyday life scenes (such as farmers at work, urban views, etc.). Among his most famous works are Dopo la brina (1880), which elicited both criticism and praise for its unusual subject, and Primavera (1892), purchased by Umberto I for the Gallery of Modern Art of Florence.

Awards: Successfully exhibited in Florence, Milan, Turin, and Rome. Won the gold medal at the International Watercolor Exhibition in Milan in 1893. Her works are now housed in major institutions such as the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rome and the Modern Art Gallery at Palazzo Pitti in Florence.