Mosé Bianchi (Italian, 1840-1904)

A student at the Academy of Brera, Mosé Bianchi was soon caught in the cross-currents of modern European Art. Although his emphasis on light and colour places him alongside contemporary movements such as the Macchiaioli, he absorbed a more diverse number of influences. The artist quickly moved from the linear style and historic subject matter of the Academy to produce socially realist genre scenes. In 1869, Bianchi travelled to Paris for three months, where he assimilated the work of the French realists and he soon gained international recognition with exhibitions of his work in cities including Vienna, Paris, Munich and London.

The present work is typical of Bianchi's late style, characterised by muted atmospheric tones and pointed with strong dashes of colour. It was probably during one his stays in Gignese, a village close to Lake Maggiore, that the artist visited Stresa and got inspiration for the present composition. Notable here are the subtle harmonies of light and water that placed the painter at the forefront of Italian naturalism.