Professional Documents
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THE
ITALIAN PAINTINGS
FROM
THE MARY
AND
HARRY L. DALTON
COLLECTION
J
THE ITALIAN PAINTINGS
FROM
THE MARY AND HARRY L. DALTON
COLLECTION
The contact one has with others is perhaps the most cherished reward obtained from any task.
Over the past years in my work with the Duke University Museum of Art, it has been my plea-
sure to meet, to become acquainted with, and to develop a love and respect for Mary and
Harry Dalton. The Daltons radiate a generous warmth and understanding that makes it im-
possible to speak of them as mere acquaintances; for after one's first encounter, no longer is
he a stranger, but rather a friend. An interest in art means that one's friendship with the
Daltons has a common ground.
Mr. and Mrs. Dalton have been granted, through effort and circumstance, the power and
privilege to collect art. Befitting their personalities, they have approached the task with re-
sponsibility and pleasure. They have fully realized that their likes and dislikes were involved
in each decision, while also knowing that their collection was to be shared with others.
The Daltons have acquired a many-faceted collection. This exhibition of Italian paintings
represents the art of Italy from Venice in the east, to Milan in the west, and down the pen-
insula to Florence and Rome, Naples, Capri and Sicily.
Within this exhibition one can view and study the stylistic change and development of an
individual artist, as evident in the works of Giorgio de Chirico. Certain of the paintings are so
mounted as to show the personal comments of the artist to the collector, thus attesting to the
intimate friendship between the two. In each incident, the viewer is allowed insight into the
manner in which the Daltons collected.
Duke University and the Duke University Museum of Art are indeed grateful to Mr. and Mrs.
Dalton for making this exhibition possible. Theirs is a most cherished friendship.
W. K. Stars
Director
CATALOG
4
Little Monument Under a Tree
etching; 4V2" x 3Va"
Shipwreck
oil on wood; SVa"x 8%"
Born in Leghorn, studied with Boldini at the Academy of Florence; however, due to poor
Fattori
financial conditions, he was unable to afford a studio and the necessary supplies and therefore made
very little progress. All his life he was content with ver\' little money, and painted for his own spiritual
satisfaction. Instead of the more formal, academic approach, he resorted to studying, drawing and
painting from nature. He was especially partial to rendering horses and soldiers in action. His Battle
of Magenta was awarded a prize at Ricasoli in 1859 and now hangs in the Modern Art Gallery in
Florence.
was not a theoretical artist and therefore his association with the Macchiaioli School of painting
Fattori
svasone whereby he tried not to direct or influence the other artists involved. Because he never
preached to younger artists, he was surprised when he was nominated in 1886 to be a teacher at
the Academy of Florence.
In 1909, one year after his death, the Uffizi in Florence bought 161 of his paintings from his heir, Malesci.
in 1925, another collection of 167 paintings was deposited at the Uffizi. The sixth Quadriennale
(1952) in Rome gave a commemorative exhibition of his works.
Landscape with Pink House
oil; VA" X 31/4"
Landscape- Lakeside
oil; 2" X 3%"
Born in Florence, Sorbi attended the Florence Academy of Fine Arts, but developed his own style
of painting at a very early age, rather than adapting to the academic styles. He lived and worked in Paris
for a few years working on "en plein air" studies. When he returned to Florence, he abandoned figure
and genre paintings to concentrate exclusively on landscapes that were painted from nature. He was
one of the greatest Italian painters after the period Macchiaioli, a school that added subtle
chiaroscuro effects to the light and color techniques of the impressionists. Thus, light and dark,
and light and color were related in such a manner as to produce a new and unique visual experience.
Shipyard
oil on wood panel; x 6"
3yi!'
Born in Forii, Francesco Vinea was a disciple of Meissonier and a member of the Macchiaioli
School. The subject matter for his paintings were genre scenes of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries. He won the Gold Medal in Berlin in 1886. His work is held in high esteem both in Italy and
abroad.
f
il
GIUSEPPE GUSSARDI
Born
The Little
(1845-1914)
Country
oil;
^ ''
^
/«
Mf,
^Ir^-
t<•CI-
of Florence under Ciseri, although later he
adopted his own individualistic style of painting.
His paintings are noted for their simplicity and
remarkable technique of style, showing a finesse
of touch.
V\\
^jtA. ' 1
i^. .^ ^> ^k
^*^^^^^^^^
Puppet Dream
X 3V/2"
oil; 23^/4"
Aldo Affortunati
Aldo Affortunati Street Scene
oil; eVi" X 9Vi"
The Model
oil; 14" X 76"
Walter Benoldi
,?
-vB ?
Born in Florence, Massimo Campigli has lived mostly in Paris, and yet he is one of the best known
artists of contemporary Italy. He has listed the three main influences of his painting as the neo-
classicism of Picasso, the cylindrical forms of Leger's painting in the early 1920's, and above all,
the stylized, corseted figures and parasols of Seurat. However, Campigli's art has remained un-
mistakably Italian.
Maldicenza
X 20"
oil; 91/4"
Born Abruzzo, Nino Gaffe's family moved to Ancona on the Adriatic Sea in 1920. In 1930 his
in
family Ancona for nearby Pesari, where the artist now lives. From 1935 to 1941, he taught
left
drawing at the "Instituto di Belle Arti" at Urbino and was awarded several prizes at Ancona, Recanati,
and Milan. Following the war, Caffe exhibited his works extensively, and today many of his paintings
are in private collections and museums in Europe and North America.
Nino Caffe Visiting Velasquez
oil on wood; 16" x 28"
The Clown
oil on wood; ISVi" x IOVa"
h<..t^»^^ ?^?
Copper Pots and Onions
oil on wood; ISVi" x 23"
Born in Lucera, Cavalli first went to Rome in 1921 for his classical studies. In 1928 he went to
Paris where he lived for a year, taking part in the spirit of that extremely active period in
the history of European art. There he was active in the formation of what was to become the
Roman School. In a certain sense Cavalli defined for the Roman School the theory of "tonal
painting," which was the aim at that time in Italy of the most reflective and dedicated artists.
exhibition at the Venice Biennale resulting in several awards and honorable mentions. Since
1945, Cavalli has lived in Florence where he teaches at the Academy of Fine Arts.
Horses
oil; 24" X 20"
Born in Tuscania, Cesetti is a self-taught painter who has lived in Rome, Florence, Paris, and
Venice. His first one-man show was in 1927 in Como. Since 1939 he has taught at the Academy
of Fine Arts in Venice, and from 1955 to 1958 he was director of the Italian School of Art
in Paris.
I Centauri
Self- Portrait; oil; 16" x 11"
GIORGIO DE CHIRICO (1 )
Giorgio de Chirico
Oresti e Pilade
pencil drawing and wash; 9V2" x 6y2"
Giorgio de Chirico
still Life
oil on canvas; 15^A" x 791/2"
Giorgio de Chirico
Reclining Nude
oil; 9V2" X 7"
Giorgio de Chirico
J
Giorgio de Chirico The Lonely Square
oil; 18" X 22"
.^-41
Horse
charcoal; BVi" x 8%"
Horse in Meadow
oil; 71/4" X 51/4"
Giorgio de Chirico
Horse and Country Scene
^^^^
watercolor; 7" x WVa"
Giorgio de Chirico
. ^>
Two Horses
drawing; 8%" x 1VA"
Giorgio de Chirico
4-/.
Italian Family Scene
oil on wood panel; 15" x 23W
PRIMO CONTI (1900- )
Born in Florence, Primo Contiis self-taught. He followed at first the Impressionist School, then
was attracted by futurist art and participated in the first futurist exhibition at Milan in 1918. His
later paintings have nothing to do with futurism although they show a continual interest in something
new. He took part in an International Art Exhibition at Geneva in 1920, the "Florentine Spring
Exhibition" in Florence in1922, and the Biennale in Rome in 1925.
Santo Spirito
oil on wood; 73 Vz" x 73 Vz"
Born in Florence, Lassaro Donati did not begin to paint until he was twenty-eight years old. His
painting reveals a striving for perfection through continual research in problems of style and
technique. His early works indicate a momentary interest in surrealism, but his later works indicate
an interest in volume and a particular taste for curved forms.
eUotico
J
Natura Morta
0/7; 751/2" X 231/2"
Sea Scape
oil; 20" X 28"
Born in Capri, Michele Federico was a disciple of Antonio Leto. His paintings interpret and
portray the sky and the sea. These elements go through an infinite number of variations, expressing
different shades of contrast and content in each of his paintings. Preferring this simple subject
matter of the sky and the sea, his technique seems to search for more accurate realism.
The Staircase
oil; 32" X ;0"
MARIA ANTONIETTACAMBARO
(1929- )
Born in Genoa, Beppe Cuzzi first exhibited in 1924 in the Boutique of Art in
Leghorn, the city where he had established himself and remained until 1940. He
—
was invited to Venice and participated actively in the official exhibitions Quad-
riennale di Rome, exhibits organized in foreign countries by the Biennale of Venice,
in which he won several prizes. From the original choice of form of modern
Belgian and Dutch paintings, he has passed into accentuation of modernistic large
planes and zones of landscapes.
St. Peters
oil; 16" X 71/2"
Born in Lucioni studied in New York and has a long list of awards ranging
Italy,
from a Tiffany Medal to a purchase award of the National Academy of Design.
His works have been widely exhibited and hang in important collections, including
the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Seattle
Art Museum, and London's Victoria and Albert Museum.
Horses
oil on canvas; 23^4" x 79%"
J
UBALDO MAGNAVACCA (1885-1957)
Portovenere
22" X 2OV4"
oil;
Venice Scene
oil on wood; 27V-i' x ^OV^"
White Clouds
oil; 19V2" X 223/4"
Ubaldo Magnavacca
Impetuous Sunshine
oil; 22" X 28%"
Ubaldo Magnavacca
///
Family
print; 13" x 73"
Born inMurano, Martini studied art in the Academia delle Belle Arti. He Is known for his
talent in the medium of gouache as well as for his paintings and portraits in other media.
His bright and well-designed frescoes adorn the walls and ceilings of many churches and
public buildings in the Veneto, and his designs for mosaics are constantly sought in Venice.
Waiting
oil; 20" X 24"
Born in Ferrara, Melli was both a sculptor and a painter in his early years. While
others were challenging the futurist frenzy of speed with metaphysical inertia,
it was Melli who opened the way to Valori Plastici and the effort to identify space
and color that finally led to the Roman School. Presently Melli receives wide
recognition, and exhibits both in Italy and elsewhere.
Tete de Femme
conte crayon; lOVi" x 74"
AMEDEO MODIGLIANI
(1884-1920)
Born in Macerata where he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Monachesi showed
a very definite futuristic tendency from the beginning. He has exhibited at
the Venice Biennaie for several years, and is presently teaching at the Academy
of Fine Arts in Rome. He also taught in Venice for several years.
Still Life
watercolor; 14%" x 20%"
Born in Bergamo, Morandi lived his entire life in Bologna with the exception of short
excursions through Switzerland and Italy. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in
1913, where he later taught engraving. He was devoted to the study of the Old Masters I
and contemporary expressionism, from which he synthesized his own style of classic
simplicity. His subjects were primarily still lifes with a few figures, portraits, and com-
positions with bathers. This still life world of his was rendered by simple, shadowy objects
in sober colors, which closely resemble grisaille. His sense of color greatly influenced
Scipione, Mafai, and Cagli.
studio Scene
oil; 18" X 271/2"
Born in Rome, Muccini was primarily a self-taught artist, although he did study
in Rome for a time. He first exhibited at the Gallerie I'Obelisco in Rome in 1947.
He later exhibited at the 1950 Venice Biennale and was invited to return in 1952.
He has received and accepted invitations to show in all the Rome Quadriennales
since 1950. At the 1954 Quadriennale he was awarded a prize. He has held exhibitions
internationally and is represented in public and private collections, including the
Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Rockefeller Collection.
Siomica
oil; 791/2"X 28"
Born in Florence where he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Righi was
a student of Nincheri. His paintings usually involve landscapes and rustic
scenes. He exhibited his paintings at Promatrice, Florence, in 1912, and
elsewhere regularly until 1914. After 1918 he exhibited landscapes of Tuscany
in regional shows. In the town of Corizia, he was awarded the Bronze Medal for
his painting, Street of Fiesole. Righi was also awarded a number of gold
medals.
Green Umbrella
oil; 8" X 76"
AMEDEO RUGGIERO
Composition
mixed media; 17" x 23"
Giovanni Stradone
Horses
oil; 77%" X 15W
Giovanni Stradone
The Country of the Dolomitz
oil on wood; QVi" x 74"
PN
ttiiil m B^v I
-
The presentation of this exhibition and the compilation of this catalog were only possible
through the combined efforts of the following people: Mrs. Novice Sigmon, curator
of the Dalton Collection; Mrs. Lula Bell, assistant curator of the Dalton Collection; Dorothy
Spragins; Mr. Henry van Dijk; Mrs. Inger M. Tavernise; Mr. Pietro Tavernise; Ella Fountain
Pratt;Mr. Agostino Zamparutti of the Italian Institute of Culture; Dr. John Blackburn; Mr.
Jim Robins; and the Staff of the Duke University Museum of Art.
STAFF
—
Commissioner Emeritus N. C. Museum of Art
—
N. C. Arts Council Appointed by Governor
N. C. Society of Art
United Arts Council, Charlotte
—
Honorary member of the Board Mint Museum of Art,
Charlotte (only five individuals accorded this honor
since incorporation of Museum in 1936)
Life Member —
Friends of the Duke University Museum of
Art
Historical Properties Committee
—
Acquisitions Committee Mint Museum
—
Advisory Council to President Agnes Scott College
—
Former Chairman Friends of the University of N. C,
Charlotte
—
Investment Corrimittee Queens College
Friends of the Duke University Library
Advisory —Wingate College
Committee
Board of — Davidson College
Visitors
Patrons — Chairman — Queens College
Patrons — Chairman — Montreat Anderson College
Board of Visitors — Guilford College
Board of Visitors — Furman University
Board of Visitors — Andrews College
St.