Amid Venetian visions of regattas, lively squares teeming with people, the annual assembly of boat bridges, grassy embankments, and winding alleyways: Italico Brass, bridging the gap between the 19th and 20th centuries, embraces modernity and the allure of impressionist painting to unveil an unprecedented, vibrant, and popular Venice, at times astonishing. His approach, characterized by an artistic sensibility capable of countless ‘variations on the theme,’ offers an ever-changing and fresh interpretation through his magical use of colors, light, water, and skies, elements he tirelessly and brilliantly observes.
In the halls of Palazzo Loredan, curated by Giandomenico Romanelli and Pascaline Vatin and promoted by the Venetian Institute of Sciences, Letters, and Arts in Venice, and lineadacqua, the first major Venetian exhibition dedicated to Italico Brass (Gorizia 1870 – Venice 1943) unfolds. It marks the rediscovery of a fascinating painter acclaimed during his lifetime and in the post-war period, nearly forgotten for over sixty years. Brass appeared on the scenes of Chioggia and Venice in 1895, returning from Paris, and quickly established himself as a key figure. He was a consistent and highly regarded participant at the Biennale from its very first edition, earning him the title of “Painter of Venice,” a recognition he had already received in Paris. Brass brought one era to a close and ushered in a completely new one, sharing the influences and poetic style of the impressionists. He made the Venetian city his chosen home and preferred subject, revealing a painting deeply in harmony with a society undergoing profound and sometimes tumultuous change.
