The Lure of Italy: Artists' Views

From the crumbling ruins of ancient Rome to the crystal clear light of Venice, Italy has fascinated travelers and artists for centuries. Painters and draftsmen have found inspiration not only in the cities but also in the countryside and in the deep history and culture. Visiting from France, England, the Netherlands, and Germany, artists drew sketches to preserve vivid memories, creating works of extraordinary atmosphere and beauty. Their Italian counterparts responded to the tourist demand for souvenirs by crafting their own masterpieces. 

Featuring works from the Getty Museum’s collection by R. P. Bonington, Claude Lorrain, Giovanni Battista Lusieri, and Canaletto, this exhibition captures the essence and spirit of Italy.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.

Whether or not you go, the companion publication, The Lure of Italy: Artists’ Views, is a narrated assemblage of some of beautiful views, which transport the reader effortlessly to Italy, rekindling memories, setting intentions, or provoking curiosity. The text provides new insights into the topographical renditions of Italian scenes over the centuries, while compelling illustrations of works from the Getty collection by artists such as Richard Parkes Bonington, J. M. W. Turner, Claude Lorrain, Giovanni Battista Lusieri, Canaletto, and many more capture the essence and spirit of Italy.

Or, if you prefer to focus on the American artist experience in Italy, consider The Lure of Italy: American artists and the Italian experience, 1760-1914 (1992). This superbly-illustrated book is the first to explore the fascination Italy held for the American artist. From the likes of West and Copley in the 18th century to Cole, Inness, Whistler, Sargent, and Prendergast in the 19th century,  artists were inspired to create many of their finest works in Italy, as were American sculptors such as Hiram Powers and Harriet Hosmer, and writers from Washington Irving to Henry James. This in-depth study includes 319 illustrations, of which 113 are reproduced in full color.

Click The Lure of Italy: Artists’ Views to place this book in your Amazon shopping cart. 

Click The Lure of Italy: American artists and the Italian experience, 1760-1914 (1992) to place this book in your Amazon shopping cart.