Vincenzo Vela (May 3, 1820 - October 3, 1891) was a Swiss-Italian

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

, active mainly in

northern Italy Northern Italy ( it, Italia settentrionale, it, Nord Italia, label=none, it, Alta Italia, label=none or just it, Nord, label=none) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. It consists of eight administrative regions ...

Biography

Vela was born in

Ligornetto Ligornetto is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 14 April 2013 the former municipalities of Besazio, Ligornetto and Meride merged into the municipality of Mendrisio.

in the canton of

Ticino Ticino (), sometimes Tessin (), officially the Republic and Canton of Ticino or less formally the Canton of Ticino,, informally ''Canton Ticino'' ; lmo, Canton Tesin ; german: Kanton Tessin ; french: Canton du Tessin ; rm, Chantun dal Tessin . ...

to parents of little means. Having started work as boy as a stonecutter at mines of

Besazio Besazio is a municipality in the district of Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 14 April 2013, the former municipalities of Besazio, Ligornetto and Meride merged into the municipality of Mendrisio.Viggiù Viggiù (; lmo, Vigiǘu, label= Varesino ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about northwest of Milan and about northeast of Varese, on the border with Switzerland. Viggiù borders ...

and then moved to

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

, where he worked on the Cathedral and enrolled at the

Brera Academy The Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera ("academy of fine arts of Brera"), also known as the or Brera Academy, is a state-run tertiary public academy of fine arts in Milan, Italy. It shares its history, and its main building, with the Pinacoteca di ...

of Fine Arts in 1832. In Milan, he worked under Professor Cacciatori. The influence of

Lorenzo Bartolini Lorenzo Bartolini (Prato, 7 January 1777 Florence, 20 January 1850) was an Italian sculptor who infused his neoclassicism with a strain of sentimental piety and naturalistic detail, while he drew inspiration from the sculpture of the Florentine ...

’s work led to the adoption of a naturalistic approach and the early 1840s saw a number of figures in contemporary dress in obvious contrast to the classical approach still dominant in sculpture.

Francesco Hayez Francesco Hayez (; 10 February 1791 – 12 February 1882) was an Italian painter. He is considered one of the leading artists of Romanticism in mid-19th-century Milan, and is renowned for his grand historical paintings, political allegories, and ...

played an active part in securing prestigious commissions for him from the liberal aristocracy and bourgeoisie of Lombardy, above all for works of a patriotic nature alluding to the Italian political situation. After a short stay in Rome, he enlisted in 1848 to serve as a volunteer in the first war of independence. He then moved to

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

, where he held the chair in sculpture at the Albertina Academy, in 1852. His repertoire of funerary monuments, portraits and public works drawing inspiration from the struggle for national liberation proved a great success also in France, where his work dedicated to the last days of Napoleon’s life won a prize at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867 and ensured his renown. He returned to Ligornetto in the same year and took up residence in the villa built to house the works from his studios in Turin. His mature production is characterised by a repertoire of portraits and funerary monuments, and includes a naturalistic relief dedicated to the 199 workers killed during the construction of the

Gotthard Rail Tunnel , it, Galleria del San Gottardo , other_name = , line = Gotthard Line , location = Traversing the Saint-Gotthard Massif in the middle of the Swiss Alps , coordinates = , os_grid_ref = , status = , system ...

(1882–83). His first piece winning an award at a contest at the Brera was a bas-relief depicting the ''Return of Ulysses to Ithaca''. He then won in a Venetian competition (gold medal and 60 zecchini) from among submissions from Northern Italy with a model for a sculpture depicting ''Christ resurrects that daughter of Jair''. With this award he traveled to Rome, to study and work. Vela returned to Milan to fight in the wars of the Italians against Austria. Once the rebellion was staunched, Vela completed the marble statue of ''

Spartacus Spartacus ( el, Σπάρτακος '; la, Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising ...

breaking his Chains''; the resonance of the theme would not have been lost on Italian patriots. Vela refused the offer by the Austrian authorities to join the Academy of Fine Arts of Milan. He was imprisoned for his political views, and exiled to his hometown in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. There he began work on his statue of the carabiniere Francesco Cartoni, killed by the Austrians at Sommacampagna, and a statue of

William Tell William Tell (german: Wilhelm Tell, ; french: Guillaume Tell; it, Guglielmo Tell; rm, Guglielm Tell) is a folk hero of Switzerland. According to the legend, Tell was an expert mountain climber and marksman with a crossbow who assassinated Albr ...

for Lugano. In 1852, he accepted a professorship at the

Accademia Albertina The Accademia Albertina di Belle Arti ("Albertina Academy of Fine Arts") is an institution of higher education in Turin, Italy History In the first half of the seventeenth century, there was a "University of Painters, Sculptors and Architects" ...

of Turin. There he completed ''Rassegnazione'', for the Contessa Loschi of

Vicenza Vicenza ( , ; ) is a city in northeastern Italy. It is in the Veneto region at the northern base of the ''Monte Berico'', where it straddles the Bacchiglione River. Vicenza is approximately west of Venice and east of Milan. Vicenza is a th ...

; a statue for the mathematician Piola; a statue of the poet

Tommaso Grossi Tommaso Grossi (20 January 179110 December 1853) was an Italian poet and novelist. Biography Grossi was born in Bellano, on Lake Como, and graduated in law at University of Pavia in 1810. He then went to Milan to exercise his profession but the ...

, one of the philosopher Rosmini; a ''Minerva'' for Lisbon; a statue of

Count Cavour Camillo Paolo Filippo Giulio Benso, Count of Cavour, Isolabella and Leri (, 10 August 1810 – 6 June 1861), generally known as Cavour ( , ), was an Italian politician, businessman, economist and noble, and a leading figure in the movement towa ...

for the atrium of the Bourse in Genoa; a ''Monument to Donizetti'' with an allegorical female representing Harmony crying beside the portrait of great master. His statue of ''Hope'' was for the funereal monument of the Prever Family of Turin; his ''

Cesare Balbo Cesare Balbo, Conte di Vinadio (21 November 1789 – 3 June 1853), was an Italian writer and statesman. Balbo was born in Turin on 21 November 1789. His father, Prospero Balbo, who belonged to a noble Piedmontese family, held a high position i ...

'', for the public gardens of Turin; he made two statues of the two queens Maria Adelaide and Maria Teresa; Primavera, for the Bottàccini family of Trieste; ''L'Alfiere combattente'', standing before the palazzo Madama in Turin. He completes a ''Monument to Manin'' in Turin. Vela completed a ''Vittorio Emanuele'', for the Palazzo Civico of Turin; a Carlo Alberto, for the Royal Palace; a statue of

Joachim Murat Joachim Murat ( , also , ; it, Gioacchino Murati; 25 March 1767 – 13 October 1815) was a French military commander and statesman who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. Under the French Empire he received the ...

, For the camposanto of the Certosa in Bologna he completed: statues of Dante and Giotto for

Prato della Valle Prato della Valle (''Prà deła Vałe'' in Venetian) is a 90,000-square-meter elliptical square in Padova, Italy. It is the largest square in Italy, Lionello Puppi, Giuseppe Toffanin. Guida di Padova. ''Arte e storia tra vie e piazze.'' Trie ...

in Padoa; and la Pregante. At the French Exposition of 1863, Vela exhibited: ''L' Italia riconoscente alla Francia'', donated by Milan to empress Eugenia. She also commissioned a statue of

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

in bronze for Vera Cruz,

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. He exhibited an ''Ecce Homo'' in Rome in 1883.

Museo Vincenzo Vela

His son, Spartaco Vela (1853-1895), was a landscape painter who trained at the

. Spartaco willed the house and works in his father's studio to the Swiss government for the establishment of a museum: ''Museo Vincenzo Vela'' in

. The house designed by the architect Cipriano Ajmetti, was restructured in 2001 by architect

Mario Botta Mario Botta (born 1 April 1943) is a Swiss architect. Career Botta designed his first building, a two-family house at Morbio Superiore in Ticino, at age 16. He graduated from the Università Iuav di Venezia (1969). While the arrangements of spa ...

, and displays the works of the sculptor in a novel setting. The museum displays some of Spartaco's paintings and sculptures of his uncle Lorenzo Vela. The museum also contains contemporary paintings collected by the three Velas. Those of Lorenzo, include works of Ambrogio Preda (1839-1906), Luigi Scrosati (1814-1869), Giuseppe Landriani (1824-1894),

Eleuterio Pagliano Eleuterio Pagliano (2 May 1826 – 5 January 1903) was an Italian painter of the Romantic period as well as an activist and fighter of the ''Risorgimento''. Biography Pagliano was born in Casale Monferrato in the Kingdom of Sardinia and studi ...

(1826-1903), Bartolomeo Giuliano (1825-1909),

Federico Faruffini Federico Faruffini (1833–1869) was an Italian painter and engraver of historical subjects, in a style that combines the styles and themes of Realism with the diffuse outlines and lively colors of Scapigliatura painters. Biography Born in Sesto ...

(1833-1869), and Mosé Bianchi (1840-1904). Those of Spartaco include works from his Milanese circle of painters, including by his friend

Giovanni Segantini Giovanni Segantini (15 January 1858 – 28 September 1899) was an Italian painter known for his large pastoral landscapes of the Alps. He was one of the most famous artists in Europe in the late 19th century, and his paintings were collected by ...

(1858-1899), Eugenio Spreafico (1856-1919), FiIippo Carcano,

Pio Sanquirico Pio Sanquirico (Milan, Austrian Empire 1847–1900) was an Italian painter. Biography Sanquirico mostly exhibited in Italy. In 1880 he was invited to the National Exposition of Fine Arts of Turin, where he exhibited ''In Time of Peace''. In 1881 ...

(1847-1900), and Franceso Fiocchi (1856-1936). Those works collected by Vincenzo include works by Gaetano Fasanotti (1831-1882),

Ernesto Allason Ernesto Allason (Turin, 1822 – March 1, 1868) was an Italian painter. Biography He was initially trained as a lawyer, but by 1843, he was studying art under the direction of the painter Carlo Piacenza. He specialized in landscapes. He was the ...

(1822-1869), Leone Eydoux (1829-1875), the brothers

Domenico Domenico is an Italian given name for males and may refer to: People * Domenico Alfani, Italian painter * Domenico Allegri, Italian composer * Domenico Alvaro, Italian mobster * Domenico Ambrogi, Italian painter * Domenico Auria, Italian archit ...

(1815-1878) and

Gerolamo Induno Gerolamo Induno (13 December 1825 – 18 December 1890) was an Italian painter and soldier, best known for his military scenes. His older brother, Domenico, was also a well-known artist and they often worked together. Biography He was born in Mi ...

(1827-1890),

Enrico Gamba Enrico Gamba (3 June 1831, in Turin – 19 October 1883, in Turin) was an Italian painter of Genre art, genre scenes, period pieces and a few portraits. Biography His father worked for the Royal Accounting Office. He was the younger brothe ...

(1825-1909),

Giuseppe Bertini Giuseppe Bertini (1825–1898) was an Italian painter, active in his native Milan. Biography He studied at the Brera Academy under Luigi Sabatelli and Giuseppe Bisi, and in 1845 was awarded the ''Gran premio di pittura dell'Accademia di Brera ...

(1825-1898), and Pierre (Henri Theodore) Tetar van Elven (1828-1908).Museo Vincenzo Vela
Official Site.

References

* Elena Lissoni
Vincenzo Vela
online catalogu
Artgate
by

Fondazione Cariplo Fondazione Cariplo is a charitable foundation in Milan, Italy. It was created in December 1991 when the Amato law, Law no. 218 of 30 July 1990, came into force. Under this law, saving banks were required to separate into a not-for-profit found ...

, 2010, CC BY-SA (source for biography).

Other projects

Artgate_Fondazione_Cariplo_-_Vela_Vincenzo,_Ritratto_della_marchesa_Virginia_Busti_Porro_adolescente.jpg, Marchesa Virginia Busti Porro as Adolescent Busto di Massimo D'Azeglio, Vincenzo Vela.jpg, Bust of Massimo D'Azeglio Artgate_Fondazione_Cariplo_-_Vela_Vincenzo,_Dante_Alighieri.jpg, Dante (

)

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vela, Vincenzo 1820 births 1891 deaths People from Ticino Swiss sculptors Academic staff of Accademia Albertina 19th-century sculptors Academic staff of Brera Academy Brera Academy alumni