Achille Vertunni
Achille Vertunni (Naples, March 1826 –?) was an Italian painter.
Biography
Initially studied law under Roberto Savarese. The family wanted him to become an architect, and sent to study mathematic under Ferdinando de Luca, but he gravitated towards arts. He studied landcape painting under Salvatore Fergola, and after 8 mos worked with the historical painter Giuseppe Bonolis, and finally with Francesco De Sanctis. He said to have been influenced by Gabriele Smargiassi. In 1851, the Neapolitan academy of fine arts, in its yearly competition, failed to agree on a single first prize winner, and instead gave two silver medals to Vertunni and his fellow Bonolis pupil, Filippo Palizzi; each endowed with a stipend to study in Rome. Some of the judges likely favored Palizzi because of his links to the academy.
In 1853, he moves to Rome. He soon painted a Santa Margherita da Cortona for the Exposizione of Florence. In the same year, he painted La Pia de' Tolomei and Dante in the Forest. He faced difficulty in selling the latter, placing economic pressure. But he persevered, prolific in painting. Later in life, he was named cavaliere della Corona d'Italia, and honorary professor of the Instituto di Belle Arti of Naples and of the Brera Academy of Milan. [1] One of his pupils was Pio Joris.[2] Among Vertunni's works are:
- Paludi Pontine, (1861, Florence, Esposizione Nazionale)
- La Torre d'Astura, (1862, Milan, Esposizione Nazionale)
- The Maremme, Kidnap of a Woman of Capri by Tunisian Corsairs, (1866, Milan National Exposition)
- Paestum
- Campagna Romana
- Encounter of Tasso with Marco Sciarra
- Manfredi con la sua famiglia ricoverati nel bosco dopo la presa di San Germano
- Un pensier mesto della madre cara
- Un desiderio di pace e di amore
- Beach of Baia
- Il torrente la Nera presso Borgo di Cerreto
- Storm in the Paludi Pontine
- Roma Vecchia
- Approach to Paestum
- Una Vetta degli Appenini
References
- ↑ | ‘‘Dizionario degli Artisti Italiani Viventi: pittori, scultori, e Architetti.’’, by Angelo de Gubernatis. Tipe dei Successori Le Monnier, 1889, page 542-543.
- ↑ |I primi anni di Rome capitale (1870-1878): con 100 illustrazioni (1907), By Ugo Pesci, page 421.
- Roma Artistica, Pubblicazione Mensile, Illustrata; Volume 1, Number 11; Editor: Architetto Raffaello Ojetti, 1872 Tipografia Romana di C. Bartoli, Piazza Poli #7-13; page 81-84.