204 - Giovanni De Maria (1924)

Giovanni De Maria (1924) Landscape Oil on canvas 70 x 60 cm Signature: “De Maria” on the front Distinctive features: on the stretcher and frame, a label from the Banca Popolare di Intra with inventory references Provenance: Banca Popolare di Intra; Veneto Banca SpA in LCA Condition. Support: 95% Condition. Surface: 95% For direct WhatsApp assistance before and during the live auction: +39 346 12 999 80 // Direct assistance via WhatsApp before and during the auction: +39 346 12 999 80 The painting, known in the art literature by two evocative titles—*The Garden at the Alpino* and *Reflections by the Lake*—possibly depicts the artist’s wife, the amateur painter and ceramicist Corona Douglas Scotti della Scala, seen from behind as she gazes out over the valley from the Alpino, a vacation spot particularly beloved by high society and artists, which stretches across the mountainous territories of Gignese and Stresa, on the slopes of Mottarone. Bazzaro had moved to the Alpino with his partner in 1894: there he had a villa built—which still stands today—where they loved to stay both in the summer and, more rarely, in the winter. The motif of the woman seen from behind—integrated into the landscape, which is in turn reflected in her eyes—appears in several of Bazzaro’s views of Alpino: the landscape is experienced from within, with sensitivity, atmosphere, and light taking precedence. The turn of the century was a period of particular creative and critical success for the artist: in 1897, he was awarded the gold medal at the Third Milan Triennial; in 1904, he received the silver medal at the St. Louis World’s Fair; and in 1906, he was awarded the Prince Umberto Prize. We thank Elisabetta Chiodini and Sergio Rebora for reconfirming the painting’s authenticity.