"Mimì" by Antonio Mancini. Signed in red in the upper center. Oil painting on canvas from 1918. Dimensions: cm h 100 x 75 Mancini, born on November 14, 1852, in Rome under the Cavour government[1], a statesman who had taken office just twelve days before, who assiduously fought for the secularization of a state not yet fully formed, promoting a law for the suppression of many religious orders and the confiscation of their property, despite this secularizing climate, remained linked to his beloved religious faith throughout his life[2]. Many Madonnas, Christs, effigies, and religious symbols depicted in his paintings, which, although forming part of the background of the setting, are almost always so powerful and substantial as to be secondary subjects alongside women, men, and children. Religion is as much a part of his being as the urge to write and paint; he was born with the cult in his heart as one might be born with blond hair. It is clearly the introspective character and the need for solitude that, in a context like Naples, will ensure that the religious culture takes root in the depths. From 1890 to 1900, with reprises in his later activity, Mancini's painting is characterized by a skillful and harmonious use of blacks, which he often employs juxtaposed to a palette rich in colors that tend to darken, while always remaining brilliant: this is the period of the great portraits. Moreover, it should be noted that almost all the figures he painted remain on the canvas as if for a real portrait, starting with the street urchins of the Neapolitan period and ending with the Rococo ladies and costumes of his later activity. [1] 1852: Cavour, 1810-61, becomes president of the Grand Ministry. 1857: Pisacane lands in Ponza. [2] 1866. Edict of the subversive laws. The expression "eversion of the ecclesiastical axis" refers to the effects of two post-unification laws, namely the royal decree 3036 of July 7, 1866, suppressing the Religious Orders and Corporations (implementing Law No. 2987 of June 28, 1866), and Law 3848 of August 15, 1867, for the liquidation of the Ecclesiastical Asset. No particular forms of protection were foreseen for the artistic property of the churches and other monastic buildings, although the directors of the state property in charge of the sale could include among the special conditions whatever they deemed necessary for the preservation of goods containing monuments, objects of art, and the like. In fact, there was a tremendous dispersal of artistic works, of which the original historical cultural context was often destroyed or forgotten. Only the most important artistic assets found shelter in provincial museums. The so-called Southern Question was born: in 1878, just a decade after the implementation of the laws of eversion, Pasquale Villari wrote the Southern Letters. The suppression of many religious orders had negative consequences on the power of ecclesiastical entities in the former Kingdom of Naples: the two laws of 1866 and 1867 generated considerable profits for the treasury and allowed the redistribution of a huge amount of real estate, with as many as 117 monasteries being suppressed out of a total of 1322 suppressed throughout the Kingdom of Italy. The semi-feudal system of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was replaced by the Manomorta. Antonio Mancini (1852 Rome - 1930 Rome) In the same year as Mancini's birth, the family moved to Narni. Here he received initial education from the Scolopi at the church of S. Agostino. Encouraged by the Counts Cantucci, who recognized his aptitude for art, Paolo sent his son to work with a local decorator and soon, in 1865, likely to initiate good artistic studies, decided with his wife and three sons, Mancini Giovanni and angelo to move together at Naples. Immediately employed as a gilder in a shop in Vicolo Paradiso, "near the house of Giacinto Gigante" ( from Antonio Mancini's autobiographical notes dictated to his nephew Alfredo in the years 1925-1930, transcribed in Santoro, page 257) , Mancini was put in school at the oratory of the Gerolamini and simultaneouly took evening scool at the church of San Domenico Maggiore, where he met and became friends with vintenzo Gemito. At Stanislao Lista's studio thet started to regularly draw from ancient casts and from reality, potraying occasional models found on the street and painting each other. The small monochrome representing a Young street urchin (Naples FL Golgore collection) dates approximately to this time. In 1965 july he enrolled at Naples fine art instute, (Raffaele Postiglione and Federico Mandrelli were his figure drawing teachers) and obtained the main prize by the following year. Like Gemito, Mancini was not satisfied to face only accademic themes but looked instead at the reality, taking inspiration from popular life spectacle: in particular, the circus world gave him decisive inspirations. Domenico Morelli's arrival at the fine art institute represented an important milestone in Mancini's instution, who would critically and together whit the master , absorbing critcaly the antaccademic orientation of his teachings, the necessity of an art that is firmly imperniated on firm values. Solicited by Morelli, Mancini had the ocasion to build himself upon greats of 17 th century and internalize the lessons of Naples art naturalism in the churches or museums of the city. Whit Francesco Paolo Michetti also landed in Naples in the same ear. In 1868 Gaetano Esposito and Paolo vetri, maintaied a strong personal or professional connection during the study years at Naples university. Of the artist, (Testa di bambina 1867: Napoli, Museo di Capodimonte) proves that the work is still of a not very significant breath, which is why is the next year that he debuted the work with a genuine masterpecie, Lo scugnizzo of tercomandomentos(Anothony Mancini p.95 N1) depiction of a reckless adolescent contemplating the remains of a mondane, in which gay opulence, through details of a still life only near and yet untouchably, awkward and envious. The work what then exposed in 1875 promoted by Napoli considerd, after Duello, the incunabolos poetica Maciniera, rich paintery means and evocative thematic choice. Prodigios Bank of the artist, Listsa and Fililpo and palizzia first studio Mancini's extracted what near by Sant' Armeno, where he was able to get close by S.Gregorio street, where he was able to get close. It began whit this predilection picture Napoli Scugnizzo picture denied by the poor country's, that where intense realisim and transfigured into magical key, The identification from outside is no, in reality, the voice that subtimates both psychological and poetically, See Carminello, 1870:(Roma, Galleria nation d,arte moderna; Il prevetsrieloo 1870. Napleso national museum cantone 1873 1872 H .W mesdtag; saltimbanchin Nyk metropalitan Musuem, bachu 1874 Mialno national Musuem. At the beginning of the decade to what thanks to, Antonio's thanks in term on good study years, and with the lesson learned on Antonio Lepre where, where, Mancini did manage some place outside the university which he used along side Gemito, the sculptor Michele La Spina di Acireo and il painter Vincenzo Volpe. Where, in 1871 , the figure with head flowers, made him know Albert Cahen, he required a replica Landed 1871 Cahen turned intona true sponsor it Was the start of an old material depences always condicioned of the artists. and forign people supported it, failing with German Reitlingen, Gahen gived Alponso Postier and that way Garenteted some work, with that Gahen the same , the first to do it that Way was the Salon in Paris 1872 Dernier Sommeil en Enfian, And in 1872 the Nation MUssuem. The First trip that He study Was in 1873 where, with the He visited Vence Where He got the 1875 done in Paris Goupil the Italian Artists of France. 1974, a part was sold in Paris that Year., where, for the Visibility done by the Artist that Year there was pressure go back Paris in 1875 there, did stay G. Den and E , Meissoner , Jean leon Gerome from The Artist Gahen told He could stay in Naple and sent over work there . there , was He, living in Goupil, the artist was the same Year from NAPLES . An not made effort to build in Roma, where he did lived Shortly from Artsts, the expo that 1977 indued He tent a Nwe one in Fance and in march 1877 there was In france there, The best painter , in the world , the artistic painter (phillda jordan) , was in Napoli . with this In Cahen, the french and He, did , in a economic way with Gemito, where , did have to wait or agree or one to sell the Painting and this caused a rough breakup whe artst started to debt with sick and tiring , the Mancini come , March 1878, the artist was now home. there , in Roma, to help him was the Baron and the small subsidering to give and it to him, he had the first son. Also, 1883, and with the March . to make that the family came in the Art.