Artists near Picinisco

[joel]

Hello,
I would like to learn more about artists living in and around Picinisco. I will be visiting in April and/or June of 2008 and am considering buying a place in the area. I would like to know about artists and people interested in art in the area, and would love to be in touch.

My wife is a painter and I am an artist/filmmaker. Looking foward to your posts.

Joel Palombo

[Tony Kehoe]

Hi

I presume you already know about the long history of artists models from the area of Picinisco, the main reason why Lawrence went there.

Tony

[joel]

Thanks Tony,
I'm not very informed about the artist's models from Picinisco. I did read a couple of lines on the forum about it though. What period was that?

Do you know of any artists in the area now? Or any good resources for connecting with artists in the area?

Thanks,

Joel

[nico de marco]

I'm interested to know more abouut this too.

My family are from Picinisco on my father's side, and my father (Agostino) and I visted for the first time in years two years ago. I would like to buy a house in the village as well now, and I have just seen a few on the market which I need to find out more about. If anyone can help me with this process I would be very grateful.

I had previously read that many of the immigrants to England and Scotland from picinisco were boy models in the 19th considered to have very distinctive looks for artists.

I am a photographer and interested in artists and photographers in the region too.

Nick
_________________
www.pbase.com/nickdemarco

[Tony Kehoe]

Sorry I have not got back sooner but I was away on business. I do not have many details re the models other than around 1860 onwards there were a number of people from the Picinisco area that went to Paris and Rome and became models. There is a report which supposes that the two models for Rodin's "The Kiss" were from Picinisco.

There is a record of a Pasquel Riozzi and his wife Eugenie in the 1891 census for Warner Street, Clerkenwell, London stating his profession was "Sit for artists", also on that census is a Fortunato Mancini with the same occupation.

Records at the Royal Academy also show a Pasquel Riozzi as being a model and also that he tried to start the first trade union for models.

One of my great great aunts also was a model in Birmingham around 1886.

Supposedly the people in the Comino areas had "classic looks" (possibly due to the fact they were not Roman but Samnite descent.) Cicereo (himself from the Val di Comino) described the area as being "an ancient land"

So its a good place to come from, good lookers and good talkers as well !

Tony

[joel]

Thanks Tony,
Very interesting background on the models.

Joel