Francesco Spicuzza Art
Italian, American, 1883-1962
Italian-born Francesco Spicuzza was primarily a Wisconsin painter who did portraits, still-lives and local landscapes. He spent the first part of his life in near-poverty to become a painter. An eternal optimist, in 1917, the artist reported: "I am happy and my only ambition now is to paint better and better until I shall have reached the measure of the best of which I am capable." (Spicuzza, 1917, p. 22). His predilection for beach scenes germinated early: reportedly, the five-year-old boy first drew the outlines of his father's fishing boat in the sand on the seashore near their home in Sicily. After setting himself up as a fruit peddler in Milwaukee, Spicuzza's father sent for his family when Francesco was eight years old.
In 1899 or 1900, Spicuzza began studying drawing and anatomy under Robert Schade (1861-1912), a painter of panoramas who had been trained in Munich under Carl Theodor von Piloty. Spicuzza was also taught by Alexander Mueller (1872-1935), a product of the Weimar and Munich academies.
The earliest influences in his work appear to be from Edward H. Potthast and Maurice Prendergast, though Spicuzza never mentioned either artist. Already in August 1910, Spicuzza was described in a newspaper as "one of the most talented of Milwaukee's rising workers." He undoubtedly received lasting inspiration from his one summer study period in 1911 with John F. Carlson at the Art Students League's Summer School in Woodstock, New York. Although he executed numerous still-lives and an occasional religious work, Spicuzza is best known for his Milwaukee beach scenes populated with frolicking bathers in multi-colored attire, not unlike the images of Potthast, who used a similar technique. These beach genre scenes reflect the attitude of American impressionists who depicted the more pleasant side of life.
Spicuzza manipulated a successful balance of rich pigment applied in varying degrees of impasto texture with subtle nuances of hue. Working all'aperto, he sought "the soft enticing shades of yellow, blue, green, pink and lavender . . . to get the effects of bright glistening summer air." (L.E.S., n.d.). As a painter whose color not only derived from direct observation but also from a personal theory of color symbolism, Spicuzza traded the linear approach of lithography for dynamic patches of brilliant color. Like Prendergast, he would often tilt the angle of the picture plane to bring the viewer's position above the scene.
Spicuzza spent a great deal of time painting en plein air and by 1925 he began summering at Big Cedar Lake, near West Bend, Wisconsin to gather his subject matter. During the difficult era of the Depression, patrons came to Spicuzza's aid and during the 40s, he taught housewives, businessmen and students at the Milwaukee Art Institute, the Milwaukee Art Center, and in his studio. In the following decade, although his kind of art was no longer popular in the "make-it-or-break-it" New York gallery world, Spicuzza enjoyed regular patronage and sales.
Bio by Richard H. Love and Michael Preston Worley, Ph.D.(Biography provided by J Gold Fine Art)
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Artist: Francesco Spicuzza
20th century oil painting portrait realism female subject dark background signed
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
Signed lower right by the artist.
Francesco J. Spicuzza, born in Sicily on July 23, 1883, came to America at the age of 8. He supported himself as a fruit peddler until a newspaperman gave him $4 a week to go to school...
Category
1910s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Oil
"Lake Michigan Shore, " Oil on Board, Signed
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Lake Michigan Shore" is an original oil painting on board by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist shows the impact of Impressionism in his landscapes from around 1930. "Lake Michigan Shor...
Category
1930s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Board, Oil
"Rocky Shore, " Oil on Board Abstract Landscape Signed
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Rocky Shore" is an original oil painting on board by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist signed the piece with his signature stamp in the lower right. Land and water are clearly demarcat...
Category
1930s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Board, Oil
Beautiful large impressionist pastel by Francesco Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Larchmont, NY
Francesco Spicuzza (American, 1883-1962)
Untitled Landscape, 20th century
Pastel on paper
Sight size: 24 x 30 in.
Framed: 26 1/4 x 32 3/8 in.
Signed lower right: Spicuzza
Italian-born Francesco Spicuzza was primarily a Wisconsin painter who did portraits, still-lives and local landscapes. He spent the first part of his life in near-poverty to become a painter. An eternal optimist, in 1917, the artist reported: "I am happy and my only ambition now is to paint better and better until I shall have reached the measure of the best of which I am capable." (Spicuzza, 1917, p. 22). His predilection for beach scenes germinated early: reportedly, the five-year-old boy first drew the outlines of his father's fishing boat in the sand on the seashore near their home in Sicily. After setting himself up as a fruit peddler in Milwaukee, Spicuzza's father sent for his family when Francesco was eight years old. For the following six years the boy was unable to attend school because of his job in his father's fruit and vegetable business. The poor lad suffered a caved-in shoulder from carrying a heavy wooden crate.
The young Spicuzza was aided by moral and financial support from a sympathetic Milwaukee businessman named John Cramer, publisher and editor of the Evening Wisconsin, who raised Spicuzza's salary as a newspaper assembler so that he could attend school. In 1899 or 1900, Spicuzza began studying drawing and anatomy under Robert Schade (1861-1912), a painter of panoramas who had been trained in Munich under Carl Theodor von Piloty. Spicuzza was also taught by Alexander Mueller (1872-1935), a product of the Weimar and Munich academies. Mueller realized Spicuzza was a colorist and encouraged that orientation (Madle, 1961). Spicuzza found it beneficial to accept an apprenticeship in a lithographic studio for $8 a week, which demanded most of his time. During the St. Louis Universal Exposition in 1904, still a struggling student, Spicuzza attended the fair, thanks to Cramer. It was not long before Spicuzza received a twenty-five dollar portrait commission, and this inaugural success led to new commissions and allowed him to continue as a painter.
The earliest influences in his work appear to be from Edward H. Potthast and Maurice Prendergast, though Spicuzza never mentioned either artist. Already in August 1910, Spicuzza was described in a newspaper as "one of the most talented of Milwaukee's rising workers." He undoubtedly received lasting inspiration from his one summer study period in 1911 with John F. Carlson at the Art Students League's Summer School in Woodstock, New York. Certainly Spicuzza would have picked up spontaneity in handling the brush from Carlson. Although he executed numerous still-lives and an occasional religious work, Spicuzza is best known for his Milwaukee beach scenes populated with frolicking bathers in multi-colored attire, not unlike the images of Potthast, who used a similar technique. Many of these are small, preparatory works on canvas board executed between 1910 and 1915. Frequently with even greater animation than Potthast, Spicuzza produced moving images of youthful energy and uninhibited child's play. These beach genre scenes reflect the attitude of American impressionists who depicted the more pleasant side of life.
Spicuzza manipulated a successful balance of rich pigment applied in varying degrees of impasto texture with subtle nuances of hue. Working all'aperto, he sought "the soft enticing shades of yellow, blue, green, pink and lavender . . . to get the effects of bright glistening summer air." (L.E.S., n.d.). As a painter whose color not only derived from direct observation but also from a personal theory of color symbolism, Spicuzza traded the linear approach of lithography for dynamic patches of brilliant color. Like Prendergast, he would often tilt the angle of the picture plane to bring the viewer's position above the scene.
Spicuzza was unable to enter the 1913 Armory Show or the Panama-Pacific International Exposition two years later but he did submit work to the annual exhibitions of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and those of the Art Institute of Chicago. His first important award was the bronze medal presented by the St. Paul Institute in 1913, which was followed by the silver medal two years later. Before long, Spicuzza had acquired a greater sense of security in his profession and was described by a writer in International Studio (April 1917) as "an independent artist with an assured future. His pastels and water-colours are poetic and joyous bits of nature with a genuine out-of-door feeling." In 1918, his Spirit of Youth, exhibited at the National Academy of Design, sold for $112.50. Four years later, the artist achieved his greatest local recognition by winning the gold medal from the Milwaukee Art Institute.
Spicuzza spent a great deal of time painting en plein air and by 1925 he began summering at Big Cedar Lake, near West Bend, Wisconsin to gather his subject matter. Easter Morning (1926) owes something to the Symbolist movement, with its figure of Christ appearing over a seascape. During the difficult era of the Depression, patrons came to Spicuzza's aid and during the 40s, he taught housewives, businessmen and students at the Milwaukee Art Institute, the Milwaukee Art Center, and in his private studio. In the following decade, although his kind of art was no longer popular in the "make-it-or-break-it" New York gallery world, Spicuzza enjoyed regular patronage and sales. His beach scenes became more static and he would experiment with modernist techniques. Spicuzza died at the age of seventy-eight.
Sources:
L.E.S., "Do Colors Change a Person's disposition? Experiments of a Milwaukee Artist...
Category
20th Century American Modern Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Paper, Pastel
20th century oil painting portrait realism male subject dark background signed
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
Signed lower right by the artist.
Francesco J. Spicuzza, born in Sicily on July 23, 1883, came to America at the age of 8. He supported himself as a fruit peddler until a newspaperman gave him $4 a week to go to school. He attended classes at the Milwaukee Art Students League, where he studied under Alexander Mueller. There he learned to paint in the then-fashionable "Munich School" technique, with detailed realism in heavy browns and grayed-out hues. Spicuzza completed eight grades in four years, and then in 1911, three businessmen advanced him enough money to allow him to study in New York under artist and teacher John Carlson.
It was during this time that Spicuzza changed his style of painting, developing an impressionistic use of color, form and atmospheric renditions. After a period of grinding poverty, one of Spicuzza's pictures won a major New York competition. It was the first of 60 wins, both in the U.S. and Paris. He became a fashionable painter, and many of the leading collections have his work. Spicuzza's typical works were beach scenes, still life, landscapes and portraits done in pastels, oils, ink, charcoal and watercolors. Much of his work traced the history of Milwaukee in the early 1900s. He was probably best known for his scenes of women and children splashing in the waves...
Category
1910s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Oil
Boy Launching a Sailboat
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
Graphite and charcoal on paper signed by the artist.
7.38" x 8.63"
16.75" x 15.5" frame
Framed to conservation standards. Float mounted on 100% cotton matboard and glazed in UF5 Plexiglass that filters 99% of UV Rays to ensure the preservation of the piece. All housed in a bold miter jointed bevel frame in distressed silver finish with reflective accents.
Francesco J. Spicuzza, born in Sicily on July 23, 1883, came to America at the age of 8. He supported himself as a fruit peddler until a newspaperman gave him $4 a week to go to school. He attended classes at the Milwaukee Art Students League, where he studied under Alexander Mueller. There he learned to paint in the then-fashionable "Munich School" technique, with detailed realism in heavy browns and grayed-out hues. Spicuzza completed eight grades in four years, and then in 1911, three businessmen advanced him enough money to allow him to study in New York under artist and teacher John Carlson.
It was during this time that Spicuzza changed his style of painting, developing an impressionistic use of color, form and atmospheric renditions. After a period of grinding poverty, one of Spicuzza's pictures won a major New York competition. It was the first of 60 wins, both in the U.S. and Paris. He became a fashionable painter, and many of the leading collections have his work. Spicuzza's typical works were beach scenes, still life, landscapes and portraits done in pastels, oils, ink, charcoal and watercolors. Much of his work traced the history of Milwaukee in the early 1900s. He was probably best known for his scenes of women and children splashing in the waves...
Category
Mid-20th Century Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Graphite, Charcoal
"Boats in Berlin Harbor, " Pastel on Cheesecloth by Francesco Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Boats in Berlin Harbor" is an original pastel painting on cheesecloth. Small tugboats push across the Berlin harbor as a gauzy cityscape watches from behind.
Image: 25" x 33"
Frame...
Category
1920s American Modern Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Pastel
"Cabin on Lake Michigan Shore, " Oil on Board signed by Francesco Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Cabin on Lake Michigan Shore" is an original oil painting on board by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist signed the piece in the lower left. It depicts a small cabin on the lakeshore surrounded by bright vegetation.
14" x 20" art
22 3/4" x 29" frame
Francesco J. Spicuzza, born in Sicily on July 23, 1883, came to America at the age of 8. He supported himself as a fruit peddler until a newspaperman gave him $4 a week to go to school. He attended classes at the Milwaukee Art Students League, where he studied under Alexander Mueller. There he learned to paint in the then-fashionable "Munich School" technique, with detailed realism in heavy browns and grayed-out hues. Spicuzza completed eight grades in four years, and then in 1911, three businessmen advanced him enough money to allow him to study in New York under artist and teacher John Carlson. It was during this time that Spicuzza changed his style of painting, developing an impressionistic use of color, form and atmospheric renditions. After a period of grinding poverty, one of Spicuzza's pictures won a major New York competition. It was the first of 60 wins, both in the U.S. and Paris. He became a fashionable painter, and many of the leading collections have his work. Spicuzza's typical works were beach scenes, still life, landscapes and portraits done in pastels, oils, ink, charcoal and watercolors. Much of his work traced the history of Milwaukee in the early 1900s. He was probably best known for his scenes of women and children splashing in the waves...
Category
1930s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Board, Oil
"Flowers in Vase with Handles, " Pastel on Paperboard signed by F. Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Flowers in Vase with Handles" is an original pastel drawing on paperboard by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist signed the piece in the lower right. This drawing depicts a bouquet of wa...
Category
1930s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Pastel, Board, Paper
Early 20th century colorful seaside landscape pastel figures bench trees signed
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Couple on Bench at the Beach" is an original pastel drawing on paperboard by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist signed the piece in the lower left. This drawing depicts two figures sitting on a bench in front of a body of water. The artist used mostly pastel colors for this piece.
6 7/8" x 9 7/8" art
18 1/2" x 21 3/8" frame
Francesco J. Spicuzza, born in Sicily on July 23, 1883, came to America at the age of 8. He supported himself as a fruit peddler until a newspaperman gave him $4 a week to go to school. He attended classes at the Milwaukee Art Students League, where he studied under Alexander Mueller. There he learned to paint in the then-fashionable "Munich School" technique, with detailed realism in heavy browns and grayed-out hues. Spicuzza completed eight grades in four years, and then in 1911, three businessmen advanced him enough money to allow him to study in New York under artist and teacher John Carlson. It was during this time that Spicuzza changed his style of painting, developing an impressionistic use of color, form and atmospheric renditions. After a period of grinding poverty, one of Spicuzza's pictures won a major New York competition. It was the first of 60 wins, both in the U.S. and Paris. He became a fashionable painter, and many of the leading collections have his work. Spicuzza's typical works were beach scenes, still life, landscapes and portraits done in pastels, oils, ink, charcoal and watercolors. Much of his work traced the history of Milwaukee in the early 1900s. He was probably best known for his scenes of women and children splashing in the waves...
Category
1910s Impressionist Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Paper, Pastel, Board
"Lake Michigan Bathers, " Pencil, Reverse, & Photo signed by Francesco Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Lake Michigan Bathers" is an original pencil sketch by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist signed the piece in the lower right. On the reverse is a silver gelatin photo print...
Category
1910s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Black and White, Silver Gelatin, Carbon Pencil
"Lake Michigan Beach Scene, " Oil on Canvas Seascape signed by Francesco Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Lake Michigan Beach Scene" is an original oil painting by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist painted this scene on canvas and then glued that canvas to a b...
Category
1930s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Oil, Board, Canvas
"Snowcapped Mountain, " Oil on Board signed by Francesco Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Snowcapped Mountain" is an original oil painting on board by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist signed it with his signature stamp in the lower left. This painting depicts a mountain pe...
Category
1930s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Board, Oil
20th century oil painting self portrait male subject glasses pipe signed
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Self Portrait" is an original oil painting on masonite board by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist signed the piece in the lower left. It depicts the artist holding a pipe in front of a...
Category
1940s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Masonite, Oil
Mid 20th century black and white drawing landscape trees houses figures signed
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Monkey Island at Washington Park Zoo" is an original graphite and charcoal drawing on paper by Francesco Spicuzza. It depicts a number of figures gazing out at a monkey enclosure at a zoo. The artist signed the piece in the lower left.
8 1/2" x 11 3/4" art
17 1/4" x 21 1/8" frame
Francesco J. Spicuzza, born in Sicily on July 23, 1883, came to America at the age of 8. He supported himself as a fruit peddler until a newspaperman gave him $4 a week to go to school. He attended classes at the Milwaukee Art Students League, where he studied under Alexander Mueller. There he learned to paint in the then-fashionable "Munich School" technique, with detailed realism in heavy browns and grayed-out hues. Spicuzza completed eight grades in four years, and then in 1911, three businessmen advanced him enough money to allow him to study in New York under artist and teacher John Carlson. It was during this time that Spicuzza changed his style of painting, developing an impressionistic use of color, form and atmospheric renditions. After a period of grinding poverty, one of Spicuzza's pictures won a major New York competition. It was the first of 60 wins, both in the U.S. and Paris. He became a fashionable painter, and many of the leading collections have his work. Spicuzza's typical works were beach scenes, still life, landscapes and portraits done in pastels, oils, ink, charcoal and watercolors. Much of his work traced the history of Milwaukee in the early 1900s. He was probably best known for his scenes of women and children splashing in...
Category
1950s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Paper, Charcoal, Graphite
20th century portrait oil painting female subject dark background signed
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Portrait of the Artist's Mother-in-Law" is an original pastel drawing by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist signed the piece in the lower right. This drawing depicts an elderly woman in beige clothing...
Category
Early 1900s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Pastel
"Children Playing in Water-Lake Michigan (The Splash), " a Siver Gelatin Photo
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Children Playing in Water-Lake Michigan (The Splash)" is a black and white silver gelatin photo (with grid) by Francesco Spicuzza. It depicts four children playing and splashing in a lake.
12 1/8" x 11" photo
17 1/4" x 17 1/4" frame
Francesco J. Spicuzza, born in Sicily on July 23, 1883, came to America at the age of 8. He supported himself as a fruit peddler until a newspaperman gave him $4 a week to go to school. He attended classes at the Milwaukee Art Students League, where he studied under Alexander Mueller. There he learned to paint in the then-fashionable "Munich School" technique, with detailed realism in heavy browns and grayed-out hues. Spicuzza completed eight grades in four years, and then in 1911, three businessmen advanced him enough money to allow him to study in New York under artist and teacher John Carlson. It was during this time that Spicuzza changed his style of painting, developing an impressionistic use of color, form and atmospheric renditions. After a period of grinding poverty, one of Spicuzza's pictures won a major New York competition. It was the first of 60 wins, both in the U.S. and Paris. He became a fashionable painter, and many of the leading collections have his work. Spicuzza's typical works were beach scenes, still life, landscapes and portraits done in pastels, oils, ink, charcoal and watercolors. Much of his work traced the history of Milwaukee in the early 1900s. He was probably best known for his scenes of women and children splashing in the waves...
Category
Early 20th Century Other Art Style Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Photographic Paper
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Titan Fine Art present this picture which formed part of a historic collection of an English aristocratic family, Lord and Lady Sandys at their magnificent baroque and Regency Grade-I listed family home, Ombersley Court. The house was among the most fascinating survivals of its kind in this country. The atmospheric interiors were distinguished above all for the works of art associated with two key moments in national history and, more specifically, to the roles of Colonel the Hon. John Russell in the Civil War and the reign of King Charles II and of Lord Arthur Hill, later 2nd Baron Sandys, in the Peninsular War. The collection was acquired or commissioned over five centuries and remained at Ombersley Court until its recent sale, the first in 294 years. This painting hung in The Great Hall (see photo).
This charming portrait is an example of the type of small-scale panel portraits, often of splendid beauties of the time, that became fashionable from about the first quarter of the seventeenth century. The sitter has been depicted wearing a low-cut silk dress with the wide billowing sleeves typical of the late 1630’s. The simplicity of the ensemble is reinforced by the absence of lace on either the collar or cuffs. At this time gone are the complicated layers of fabrics, and now replaced with understated elegance of plain silk (satin and taffeta were most popular), with only a couple of focal points as accessories. There is an abundance of the accessory par excellence – pearls, and they are worn as a necklace, on her attire, and as earrings; the pear-shaped earrings are called ‘unions excellence’ reflecting the difficulty of finding perfectly matched pearls of such large size. They could range up to 20 millimetres in diameter. There is a splendid display of gold, diamond and pearl jewellery which is an obvious sign of her wealth.
The portrait is thought to represent Thomas Bruce (1596-1654), Earl of Elgin. The physiognomy and features in our portrait strongly correlate to a portrait of the Earl, by Cornelius Johnson (1593-1661), painted circa 1638, and is held at Kenwood House, London. Another painting from Ombersley Court, also with Titan Fine Art, is contemporaneous to ours and is thought to represent the Earl’s wife, Diana Cecil, 1st Countess of Elgin (c.1603-1654) - it appears to have derived from Cornelius Johnson’s depiction of the Countess circa 1638, also at Kenwood House. During the 1630’s Johnson painted a number of portraits, obviously influenced by Van Dyke. Here, Theodore Russel, who worked in the studios of both Van Dyle and Johnson, and later specialised in small scale reproductions of his master’s works, modelled the head, with the striking large dark eyes, on Cornelius Johnson, and the attire on Anthony van Dyke. There are also other portraits by Johnson of the sitter with very similar facial features to that of the sitter in ours. Theodore Russel and Cornelius Johnson also had a family connection as it is thought that Russel’s step-mother was a sister of Johnson.
Thomas Bruce, 1st Earl of Elgin, was a prominent Scottish nobleman who held titles such as the 3rd Lord Bruce of Kinloss. He resided at Houghton House in Bedfordshire and played a significant role in the political and social landscape of his time. His legacy as an Earl and Lord continues to be remembered in history.
Thomas Bruce, born in Edinburgh in 1599, inherited the Scottish peerage title as the 3rd Lord Bruce of Kinloss at the age of 13 following his brother's untimely death in a duel. The family's estates, including Whorlton Castle and manor, were granted by King James I of England to Thomas's father, with the wardship of Thomas and the estates entrusted to his mother until he reached the age of 21. He maintained a strong connection with King Charles I's court during the Personal Rule, receiving titles of honour and prestigious roles throughout the years.
Thomas Bruce was married twice in his lifetime. His first marriage was to Anne Chichester in 1622. Ann died in 1627, the day after giving birth to their only child, Robert Bruce, who later became the 1st Earl of Ailesbury. On 12 November 1629, Thomas Bruce married Lady Diana Cecil, the daughter of William Cecil and widow of Henry de Vere. The marriage was childless, but Diana brought significant estates with her. Thomas Bruce died on 21 December 1663 at the age of 64.
This oil on panel portrait has been well cared for over its life, which spans almost four centuries. Having recently undergone a treatment to remove an obscuring discoloured varnish, it can be fully appreciated, and attributed to Theodore Russel.
Once owned by Evesham Abbey, the manor of Ombersley was acquired by the Sandys family in the early 1600s, when Sir Samuel Sandys, the eldest son of Edwin Sandys, Bishop of Worcester and later Archbishop of York, took a lease on the manor, before receiving an outright grant in 1614. The present house, Ombersley Court, dates from the time of Samuel, 1st Lord Sandys, between 1723 and 1730. The house itself is a fine example of an English Georgian country house set in rolling countryside and surrounded by Wellingtonias, planted to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo by Arthur Hill, 2nd Baron Sandys, who played a distinguished part in the battle and was one of the Duke of Wellington’s aides de camp. The Duke also stayed in the house and in the Great Hall, was the Waterloo banner which was brought to the house by Sir Arthur Hill, aide-de-camp to the Duke of Wellington, who succeeded his mother, the Marchioness of Downshire as 2nd Lord Sandys. Further Waterloo memorabilia are kettle drums from battle. The family had a strong tradition of military and political service, dating back to the 17th century, and this was also reflected in the fine collection of portraits and paintings in the house. In short, Ombersley represented a vital aspect of British history. The house and more especially the collection were of the greatest historical importance. Houses that have remained in the possession of the same family for as many as three centuries have become increasingly rare.
Through this portrait, collectors have a chance to acquire a piece of British history and an evocative vestige of a glittering way of life, which is now gone.
Presented in a fine period frame.
Theodore Russell, or Roussel, was born in London in 1614. His father came from Bruges to England and was the Royal Stuart jeweller. His apprenticeship was spent in the studio of his uncle, Cornelius Johnson, with whom he lived for about nine years. Sometime after 1632, he is said to have worked as an assistance to Van Dyck. He executed numerous copies of portraits by his famous master and other notable painters, also painting original works. He is particularly remembered for his portraits of Charles II at Woburn Abbey and James II at the Palace of Holyrood. His son, Antony Russel (c.1663–1743) was also a portrait-painter and is said to have studied under John Riley. Several of his copies were in the Royal Collections, and among the nobility.
Provenance
Richard Hill...
Category
17th Century Old Masters Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
H 18.9 in W 16.15 in D 1.58 in
Alpine lake
Located in Roma, RM
Emilio Longoni (Barlassina 1859 - Milan 1932), Alpine Lake (1910)
Oil painting on canvas pasted on board 20 x 41 cm signed lower right in Emilian frame late 16th century.
Category
Early 20th Century Pointillist Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Board
French Mid century Impressionist, City view with Cathedral in Paris, France
Located in Woodbury, CT
Excellent French Mid century Impressionist, City view with Cathedral in Paris, Franch
The painter was active around the middle of the 20th century, painting landscapes, portraits, a...
Category
1930s Impressionist Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Oil, Board
Free Shipping
H 20 in W 17 in
Men portrait
By Giovanni Maria delle Piane dit Mulinaretto (Genoa 1670 - Monticelli d´Ongina 1745)
Located in BELEYMAS, FR
Giovanni Maria DELLE PIANE, known as IL MULINARETTO
(Genoa, 1660 – Monticelli d'Ongina, 1745)
Portrait of a man
Oil on oval canvas
H. 108 cm; L. 83 cm
Proven...
Category
1730s Italian School Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Free Shipping
H 42.52 in W 32.68 in
Previously Available Items
Lovely impressionist landscape in pastel by Francesco Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Larchmont, NY
Francesco Spicuzza (American, 1883-1962)
Untitled Landscape, 20th century
Pastel on paper
Sight size: 25 x 29 1/2 in.
Framed: 30 3/4 x 35 1/2 in.
Signed lower right: Spicuzza
Italian-born Francesco Spicuzza was primarily a Wisconsin painter who did portraits, still-lives and local landscapes. He spent the first part of his life in near-poverty to become a painter. An eternal optimist, in 1917, the artist reported: "I am happy and my only ambition now is to paint better and better until I shall have reached the measure of the best of which I am capable." (Spicuzza, 1917, p. 22). His predilection for beach scenes germinated early: reportedly, the five-year-old boy first drew the outlines of his father's fishing boat in the sand on the seashore near their home in Sicily. After setting himself up as a fruit peddler in Milwaukee, Spicuzza's father sent for his family when Francesco was eight years old. For the following six years the boy was unable to attend school because of his job in his father's fruit and vegetable business. The poor lad suffered a caved-in shoulder from carrying a heavy wooden crate.
The young Spicuzza was aided by moral and financial support from a sympathetic Milwaukee businessman named John Cramer, publisher and editor of the Evening Wisconsin, who raised Spicuzza's salary as a newspaper assembler so that he could attend school. In 1899 or 1900, Spicuzza began studying drawing and anatomy under Robert Schade...
Category
20th Century American Modern Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Paper, Pastel
H 30.75 in W 35.5 in D 0.75 in
'Little Mary Spicuzza' signed oil painting of the artist's niece
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
In this haunting yet adoring portrait, Francesco Spicuzza presents to the viewer his niece Mary. Her young face, probably from when about six years old, emerges from a hazy buildup o...
Category
1910s American Impressionist Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Floral, " Pastel Vivid Still-life of Flowers signed by Francesco Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Floral" is an original pastel drawing on paper by Francesco Spicuzza, signed in the lower right. The piece is a still life, a bouquet of flowers in a vase on the table. The perspec...
Category
1920s Modern Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Paper, Pastel
"Boy Launching Toy Sailboat 353, " Original Graphite signed by Francesco Spicuzza
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Boy Launching Toy Sailboat #353" is an original graphite drawing on paper by Francesco Spicuzza, stamped with his signature in the lower left. Executed i...
Category
1940s Modern Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Paper, Graphite
Flowers in Blue Vase
By Francesco Spicuzza
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Flowers in Blue Vase" is an original pastel drawing on paperboard by Francesco Spicuzza. The artist signed the piece in the lower right. This dra...
Category
1930s Francesco Spicuzza Art
Materials
Paper, Pastel, Board
Francesco Spicuzza art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Francesco Spicuzza art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Francesco Spicuzza in oil paint, paint, board and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Francesco Spicuzza art, so small editions measuring 13 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Leon Kelly, Frank Wilcox, and Abraham Walkowitz. Francesco Spicuzza art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,025 and tops out at $33,000, while the average work can sell for $5,788.