Gioacchino Toma, 1836 Galatina – 1891 Napoli

THE ASH RAIN OF VESUVIUS Oil on canvas. 93 x 150 cm. Enclosed is a copy of an expertise by Prof. Dario Durbé of the Nuovo Archivio dei Macchiaioli, Rome, August 7, 2001. Large-format, impressive depiction of the eruption of Vesuvius in 1880, with a view from the cobbled shore road across the harbour bay to Vesuvius, which is completely obscured by smoke and ash and whose eruption can be seen in the clouds as the fire lights up. In the foreground is a group of women sitting on the ground and leaning against a pier wall with lit candles, praying in the face of the disaster. A girl in the middle of this group is holding an image of grace towards the burning Vesuvius. On the left, some somewhat more enlightened younger passers-by with umbrellas to protect themselves from the ash rain, next to them young girls each holding a tray. In the background on the left, the landscape brightens with ghostly light effects. Literature: The painting is listed, described and illustrated in: Bruno Mantura, Nicola Spinosa, Gioacchino Toma 1836-1891, Naples 1995, published for the exhibition of the same name from June 25-July 30, 1995 in Spoleto. Also illustrated in: Dipinti del 19. secolo. Exhibition Milan, November 26 - December 01, 2010 (13803129) (10) Gioacchino Toma, 1836 Galatina - 1891 Naples THE ASH RAIN OF MOUNT VESUVIUS Oil on canvas. 93 x 150 cm. Accompanied by an expert's report by Professor Dario Durbé from Nuovo Archivio dei Macchiaioli, Rome, 7 August 2001, in copy. Impressive large-format depiction of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius of 1880. Literature: The painting is listed, described, and illustrated in: Bruno Mantura/ Nicola Spinosa, Gioacchino Toma, 1836-1891, published in Naples for the eponymous exhibition held 25 June - 30 July 1995 in Spoleto. Further illustration in: Dipinti del XIX Secolo, Exhibition Milan, Via dei Bossi.