161. Portrait of Countess Amalia di Lucovich (the artist's mother) [1887]

Verona asserted himself in his age as an excellent portraitist, as noted by the contemporary critics. As a result, his work evolved from busts dedicated to Princess Maria towards wall paintings or frescoes in locations such as collector Ioan Kalinderu's palace, Gheorghe Cantacuzino's palace, the chapel of Bran Castle or the ceiling of the Voivodes' Staircase at the Royal Palace. He would often oscillate between academism and impressionism, manifesting his portraiture within the former trend, while his landscapes were more subject to the precepts of impressionism. Among the portraits, we find compositions such as "In thought", "The witch", "The portrait of Mrs. Bogos Popovici", as well as this work, of impressive dimensions, which portrays a muse from the nobility. The elegant clothes, gloves, and fan, the hair styled after the fashion of the time, even the chair - the contrasting element of the work; the lace and feathers, reveal relevant details about the character's status. Created in 1887, when the painter was only 20 years old, just before starting his studies in Vienna, this work discloses the likeness of his mother – countess Amalia di Lucovich, sister of the well-known count Anton di Lucovich, descendants of noble rank. Born in Kotor, the two siblings would settle in Braila, where Amalia di Lucovich meets shipping captain Francesco Spiridon Verona, in the middle of the 19th century. The meeting of the two will be fruitful, culminating in a marriage from which resulted 17 children (only eight of whom will reach adulthood). Some of their children will remain in Romania, while the rest will settle on the Dalmatian coast alongside their mother. The eldest son, Alexandru Verona, would continue his father's merchant work; while Nicolae Henri Verona, the second son, stood out with a significant political career. Arthur Verona is the third son, attracted by the allure of the arts, which he will fulfil under strong emotional discharges. Remarkable was also their sister Ida, a writer and poet of unique sensibility, and among the descendants, we remember Paul Verona, Nicolae Henri Verona’s son, and thus Arthur Verona's grandson, who seemingly followed closely in his footsteps, graduating prestigious art academies in Paris, as well as Law School in Iasi.

References

ZURESCU, Ion, "Verona", State Publishing House for Literature and Art, Bucharest, 1957. CAPRIȘ, Marcel, "Elites of the Italian emigration in Romania - The Verona Family" in "Danubius Magazine", XXXIX, Galati, 2021, pp. 117-166.

Dimensions

width 90 cm, height 130.5 cm

Description

oil on canvas, signed and dated bottom right, in green, "Art. Verona, (18)87"

Dating

1887

PROVENANCE

the Nenad Giunio collection, nephew of the politician and entrepreneur Rudolf Giunio Rudolf Giunio and Graziele Verona's collection, the niece of the artist Arthur Verona Elvira Verona collection, one of the four sisters of the painter

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