Une Élégante

Vittorio Matteo Corcos prints bring the elegance of Belle Époque portraiture into your home. Corcos was an Italian painter who worked in Paris and Florence and painted queens, emperors, composers and poets, but he is best loved for his graceful young women caught in moments of rest and daydreaming. Our collection of fine art prints includes his portraits, garden and seaside scenes and Florentine views.

About Vittorio Matteo Corcos

Vittorio Matteo Corcos was born in Livorno on 4 October 1859 to Jewish parents. He trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence under Enrico Pollastrini and in 1878–1879 worked with Domenico Morelli in Naples.

In Paris he met Léon Bonnat and agreed a contract with the dealer Goupil & Cie, earning extra income with magazine illustrations and moving in the circle of Giuseppe De Nittis. He exhibited often at the Paris Salon between 1881 and 1886. In 1886 he returned to Italy and settled in Florence, where he converted to Catholicism and married Emma Ciabatti.

In Florence he painted portraits of the painter Silvestro Lega, the poet Giosuè Carducci and the composers Pietro Mascagni and Giacomo Puccini, wrote for the journal Il Marzocco, and in 1904 went to Potsdam to paint Emperor Wilhelm II. He also painted Queen Amélie of Portugal. His son died in the First World War in 1916. In 1913 the Uffizi accepted his self-portrait. He died in Florence on 8 November 1933.

Style and Subjects

Corcos's genre pictures show attractive, finely dressed young men and women at rest or at leisure: reading on a garden bench, sitting by the sea, playing with a pet. Faces are painted with smooth, careful realism, while dresses, flowers and gardens are handled more freely.

His palette is fresh and light, with whites, soft pinks, greens and sunlight. His society portraits are polished and flattering, in the international style of the Belle Époque.

Famous Works

• The Bouquet (1889). A young woman with flowers, typical of his elegant genre pictures.
• Stella and Piero (1889). A double portrait from his early Florentine years.
• Dreams (1896), Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome. His most famous painting, a young woman lost in thought.
• Woman at a Seaside Resort (1900), Brooklyn Museum. An elegant woman enjoying a day by the sea.
• Portrait of Queen Amélie of Portugal (1905), National Coach Museum, Lisbon. The queen in formal dress.
• Portrait of Countess Nerina Volpi di Misurata (1906). A society portrait of a Venetian countess.
• Self-Portrait (1913), Uffizi Gallery, Florence. Accepted into the Uffizi's famous collection of artists' self-portraits.

Decorating with Corcos Prints

Corcos's young women in white and pastel gowns suit bedrooms, dressing rooms and sitting rooms, especially with soft colours and light furniture. Dreams or Young Lady with Puppy looks elegant in a slim gilt frame.

His garden and seaside scenes bring sunshine to a sunroom, landing or breakfast room, and his Florence views, such as Piazza Santa Trinità, Florence, suit a hallway or study for anyone who loves Italy.

FAQ

What is Vittorio Matteo Corcos's most famous painting?

Dreams (Sogni), painted in 1896 and now in the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome, is his best-known work.

Who did Corcos paint?

He painted many famous sitters, including Emperor Wilhelm II, Queen Amélie of Portugal, Giosuè Carducci, Giacomo Puccini and Pietro Mascagni.

Who taught Vittorio Corcos?

He studied at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts under Enrico Pollastrini, worked with Domenico Morelli in Naples, and met Léon Bonnat in Paris.

Where can I see Corcos's paintings?

Works are in the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome, the Uffizi in Florence, the National Coach Museum in Lisbon and the Brooklyn Museum.

What makes Corcos's style recognizable?

Look for elegant young women in light dresses, smooth realistic faces, fresh colour and a relaxed, daydreaming mood.

Related Artists

• Giuseppe De Nittis: Italian painter in Paris whose circle he joined
• Domenico Morelli: painter he worked with in Naples
• Léon Bonnat: French portraitist he met in Paris
• Silvestro Lega: Tuscan painter whose portrait he painted
• Giovanni Boldini: Italian society portraitist of the same era