Giacomo Di Chirico
Encyclopedia
Giacomo Di Chirico was an italian
painter
. Together with Domenico Morelli
and Filippo Palizzi, he was one of the most elite Neapolitan artists of the 19th century. He received the official title “Knight of Italy
” from King Victor Emmanuel II
.
(Basilicata
) into a carpenter
's family, the younger son of Luigi and Caterina Savino. In 1847, when Di Chirico was barely 3 years old, his father Luigi died, leaving the family impoverished. He attended a private school for boys from deprived families under the supervision of priest
Giuseppe Gianturco, the brother of politician Emanuele Gianturco. He began working at a barbershop
in order to support his family economically but had become passionate about his painting
hobby, after learning basic art techniques from his older brother, Nicola, a sculptor.
Di Chirico had begun to create portraits of his customers, who expressed admiration for his work, and local citizens who saw his portraits began to request them. Feeling stimulated from such interest and their appreciation, Di Chirico decided to become a professional painter. He obtained a subsidy salary from the municipality of Venosa, was enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples and graduated after he had demonstrated optimal results from the studies.
In 1865, Di Chirico became a disciple of Francesco de Sanctis, who taught him lessons in literature for two years.
Between 1868 and 1871, Di Chirico refined his artistic technique while living in Rome
, further strengthening his friendship with Domenico Morelli
and Filippo Palizzi. He returned to Naples in order to open an art studio.
During his career, Di Chirico created masterpieces such such as Buoso da Duera, Quinto Orazio Flacco, Corteggiamento and Donna lucana. Sposalizio in Basilicata, one of his best known paintings, was exposed in Paris
(1877), Vienna
(1879) and Munich
(1882). It was purchased by the French merchant Adolphe Goupil. Di Chirico's works were exposed at the Goupil & Cie
in Paris
. He received the title Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
from Victor Emmanuel II
.
Between 1877 and 1878, Di Chirico was made an honourary professor at the Academy of Art in Naples. He spent August (Ferragosto
) in Maiori
, where he met his wife Emilia D’Amato. He remained with her for the rest of his life and they had a daughter named Maria.
As his artistic career continued to reach new heights, so did the rise of his activity until 1882, when Di Chirico began to exhibit symptoms of mania
, sleep deprivation
and cachexia
, a pattern of ailments Dutch
painter Vincent van Gogh exhibitied before his death, and he was confined to the Provincial lunatic asylum. While hospitalized for mental illness, his physical health continued to deteriorate, and Giacomo Di Chirico died during treatment in Naples in 1883 at age 39.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. Together with Domenico Morelli
Domenico Morelli
Domenico Morelli was an Italian painter, one of the most important Neapolitan artists of the 19th century. He enrolled at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Naples in 1836. His early works are Romantic and contain imagery drawn from the Middle Ages and Byron...
and Filippo Palizzi, he was one of the most elite Neapolitan artists of the 19th century. He received the official title “Knight of Italy
Order of the Crown of Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
” from King Victor Emmanuel II
Victor Emmanuel II of Italy
Victor Emanuel II was king of Sardinia from 1849 and, on 17 March 1861, he assumed the title King of Italy to become the first king of a united Italy since the 6th century, a title he held until his death in 1878...
.
Biography
Giacomo Di Chirico was born in VenosaVenosa
Venosa is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata, in the Vulture area. It is bounded by the comuni of Barile, Ginestra, Lavello, Maschito, Montemilone, Palazzo San Gervasio, Rapolla and Spinazzola....
(Basilicata
Basilicata
Basilicata , also known as Lucania, is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southwest, and a...
) into a carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
's family, the younger son of Luigi and Caterina Savino. In 1847, when Di Chirico was barely 3 years old, his father Luigi died, leaving the family impoverished. He attended a private school for boys from deprived families under the supervision of priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
Giuseppe Gianturco, the brother of politician Emanuele Gianturco. He began working at a barbershop
Barbershop
Barbershop may refer to:* A place where barbers work* Barbershop , a 2002 comedy, followed by a sequel**Barbershop , a soundtrack album from the film** Barbershop , a 2005 sitcom based on the films...
in order to support his family economically but had become passionate about his painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
hobby, after learning basic art techniques from his older brother, Nicola, a sculptor.
Di Chirico had begun to create portraits of his customers, who expressed admiration for his work, and local citizens who saw his portraits began to request them. Feeling stimulated from such interest and their appreciation, Di Chirico decided to become a professional painter. He obtained a subsidy salary from the municipality of Venosa, was enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts of Naples and graduated after he had demonstrated optimal results from the studies.
In 1865, Di Chirico became a disciple of Francesco de Sanctis, who taught him lessons in literature for two years.
Between 1868 and 1871, Di Chirico refined his artistic technique while living in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, further strengthening his friendship with Domenico Morelli
Domenico Morelli
Domenico Morelli was an Italian painter, one of the most important Neapolitan artists of the 19th century. He enrolled at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Naples in 1836. His early works are Romantic and contain imagery drawn from the Middle Ages and Byron...
and Filippo Palizzi. He returned to Naples in order to open an art studio.
During his career, Di Chirico created masterpieces such such as Buoso da Duera, Quinto Orazio Flacco, Corteggiamento and Donna lucana. Sposalizio in Basilicata, one of his best known paintings, was exposed in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(1877), Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
(1879) and Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
(1882). It was purchased by the French merchant Adolphe Goupil. Di Chirico's works were exposed at the Goupil & Cie
Goupil & Cie
Goupil & Cie was a leading art dealership in 19th century France, with headquarters in Paris. Step by step, Goupil established a worldwide trade with reproductions of paintings and sculptures, with a network of branches in London, Brussels, The Hague, Berlin and Vienna, as well as in New York and...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He received the title Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
Order of the Crown of Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
from Victor Emmanuel II
Victor Emmanuel II of Italy
Victor Emanuel II was king of Sardinia from 1849 and, on 17 March 1861, he assumed the title King of Italy to become the first king of a united Italy since the 6th century, a title he held until his death in 1878...
.
Between 1877 and 1878, Di Chirico was made an honourary professor at the Academy of Art in Naples. He spent August (Ferragosto
Ferragosto
Ferragosto is an Italian holiday celebrated on August 15. Originally, it may have related to a celebration of the middle of the summer and the end of the hard labour in the fields....
) in Maiori
Maiori
Maiori is a town and comune on the Amalfi coast in the province of Salerno...
, where he met his wife Emilia D’Amato. He remained with her for the rest of his life and they had a daughter named Maria.
As his artistic career continued to reach new heights, so did the rise of his activity until 1882, when Di Chirico began to exhibit symptoms of mania
Mania
Mania, the presence of which is a criterion for certain psychiatric diagnoses, is a state of abnormally elevated or irritable mood, arousal, and/ or energy levels. In a sense, it is the opposite of depression...
, sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation is the condition of not having enough sleep; it can be either chronic or acute. A chronic sleep-restricted state can cause fatigue, daytime sleepiness, clumsiness and weight loss or weight gain. It adversely affects the brain and cognitive function. Few studies have compared the...
and cachexia
Cachexia
Cachexia or wasting syndrome is loss of weight, muscle atrophy, fatigue, weakness, and significant loss of appetite in someone who is not actively trying to lose weight...
, a pattern of ailments Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
painter Vincent van Gogh exhibitied before his death, and he was confined to the Provincial lunatic asylum. While hospitalized for mental illness, his physical health continued to deteriorate, and Giacomo Di Chirico died during treatment in Naples in 1883 at age 39.
Honor
- • Knight of the Order of the Crown of ItalyOrder of the Crown of ItalyThe Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
, Kingdom of ItalyKingdom of Italy (1861–1946)The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
External links
- http://www.giacomodichirico.com (in English)
- Biografia di Giacomo Di Chirico