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Attilio Pratella was an Italian marine and landscape painter.
Attilio Pratella received his first professional skills at the Trisi College, continued his studies at the Bologna Academy of Fine Arts and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples. His first paintings received positive feedback from the juries of exhibitions.
The artist executed miniature Neapolitan views for tourists and made sketches of paintings of products of the ceramic factory of the Cacciapoti brothers. After moving to the Neapolitan neighborhood of Vomero, Pratella began to paint views of the picturesque surroundings, the Gulf of Naples and Vesuvius. Soon a group of Vomeresi ("Vomeristi") formed around him, and the neighborhood where he lived gradually became an entire colony of artists.
In addition to Neapolitan landscapes, the artist created cityscapes of Paris and other European cities. In 1899 Attilio Pratella participated in the Paris Salon and received great recognition. Today his works are in the collections of the Museo del Capodimonte and the Galleria dell'Arte Ricci Oddi.
Martin Disler was a Swiss painter, draughtsman and writer. He is associated with the Neue Wilde painting style.
Christian Rohlfs was a German painter and printmaker, one of the important representatives of German expressionism.
Mark Tobey was an American painter. His densely structured compositions, inspired by Asian calligraphy, resemble Abstract expressionism, although the motives for his compositions differ philosophically from most Abstract Expressionist painters. His work was widely recognized throughout the United States and Europe. Along with Guy Anderson, Kenneth Callahan, Morris Graves, and William Cumming, Tobey was a founder of the Northwest School. Senior in age and experience, he had a strong influence on the others; friend and mentor, Tobey shared their interest in philosophy and Eastern religions. Similar to others of the Northwest School, Tobey was mostly self-taught after early studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1921, Tobey founded the art department at The Cornish School in Seattle, Washington.
Kurt Ard was a Danish illustrator, painter and printmaker. He became internationally famous for his narrative cover artwork published in popular magazines of the 1950s-1970s, including the Family Journal, the Saturday Evening Post and Reader’s Digest. Ard started his career at various smaller newspapers and worked in the same realistic tradition as his role model, illustrator and painter, Norman Rockwell. During WW II, Kurt struggled to fulfill commission orders. His painting and his reputation and success grew steadily in the post war years. His illustrations soon appeared in major European publications, and he subsequently achieved international fame. Over the course of his career, Ard has sold more than 1000 illustrations to the best magazines in Europe, and to American publications such as McCalls, Good Housekeeping and Redbook. Today, Kurt continues to create exceptional figurative, landscape and seascape paintings with uncompromising authenticity , capturing the charm, beauty and power of these diverse subjects. His work is especially notable for its brilliant light and precise detail.
Jean-Édouard Vuillard was a French artist, celebrated for his role in the avant-garde group Les Nabis. Known for his decorative art and printmaking, Vuillard's work was heavily influenced by Japanese prints, which is evident in his unique style of flattened color planes and simplified forms. His paintings, often of interior scenes, are distinguished by their intimate and domestic subjects, displaying a keen sensitivity to the subtle dynamics of everyday life.
In the late 1880s, Vuillard joined Les Nabis, a group of artists who sought to break away from traditional artistic concepts. This association played a pivotal role in shaping his artistic philosophy. Vuillard’s early works, like "The Seamstresses" (1890) and "Child in an Orange Shawl" (1894–95), demonstrate his evolving style, marked by the use of vibrant colors and a distinct lack of perspective, aimed at exploring spatial relationships.
Vuillard's artistic journey included ventures into theater decoration and interior design. He designed stage sets and theater programs, notably for Lugné-Poe's Theatre de l’Oeuvre, and also worked on large-scale panel paintings for French patrons. His close collaboration with the Natanson brothers, founders of the cultural review La Revue Blanche, was significant in his career. This association brought him various commissions, including decorative works for private homes and public buildings.
Vuillard's art evolved over time, transitioning from his Nabis-style works to more naturalistic portraits in the 1920s and 1930s. Despite this shift, his focus remained on portraying the intricacies of domestic life, often featuring the people closest to him. Notable among his subjects were Misia Natanson, a prominent figure in the Parisian cultural scene, and Lucy Hessel, with whom Vuillard had a long-term relationship.
For art collectors and experts, Vuillard's works are a window into the intimate spaces of Parisian life at the turn of the century. His ability to transform everyday scenes into art makes his work particularly appealing. Pieces like "The Green Interior" (1891) and "Breakfast at Villerville" (1910) are exemplary of his style and are celebrated for their quiet yet profound depiction of ordinary life.
Vuillard's legacy lives on in galleries and museums worldwide. His work remains a testament to the power of domestic scenes in art, capturing the essence of the period with a unique blend of realism and abstraction.
For those interested in the subtle beauty of Vuillard's work, subscribing to our updates will ensure you stay informed about new sales and auction events featuring his art. Our updates are tailored for connoisseurs like you, providing insights into the world of art and antiques, with a focus on Vuillard's enduring legacy.
