Julie, your titles always open one’s eyes on a completely unexpected way of looking. Not only nice pictures, but matter for thought - I mean, nothing philosophical, just stop and watch. I would love to listen to your advice on how titling my new novel!
Ah, fav, of course!
@domenicododaro Thanks so much for your kind words, DD! Stop and watch/listen is one of the main themes of my life, I think. I seem to do a lot of it. I'd love to read your novel (and title it!)! :)
Well: sit down and make yourself comfortable... No, just kidding. It’s the novelization of a real story, one of those amazing stories that you don’t believe unless you see the documents. And we saw all of them...
It’s the story of Maria Caira, a girl from a little town in southern Latium migrated to Paris at the age of 15, in 1866. Initially she works as a model, first for F.W.McMonnies (her bronze portrait as Diana the huntress is exposed at the NY Met), then for J.A.McNeill Whistler and many others. The girls has a fierce character and determination: at a time when women were not allowed at the Academie des Beaux Arts, she manages to put together the funds to establish a school of arts reserved to female artists. In a few years the Academie Vitti (named after her husband's family name) in Avenue du Montparnasse no. 49 becomes one of the three most important private art academies in Paris. P.Gauguin is one of her first employees-teachers and over 20 years, more than 1,000 women students, mainly American, attend courses at her school. Even P.Picasso advises a young Guatemalan painter, recommended to him, to take lessons at the Academie Vitti when K.van Dongen teaches there, at the beginning of the 20th Century. Maria becomes rich, and on the eve of World War I, she and her family come back to Italy. Sadly, her village rejects her and the post war crisis consumes most of her wealth (including 57 paintings of which we have the minutes of seizure by the local tribunal), but poverty doesn’t make her lose her temper and character.
@domenicododaro That is a very intriguing story! I did a bit of research online about her. She sounds very innovative for her time. I'd love to know how the story ended. Did you view the documents in the museum in Atina? Do you live near there? So many questions. :)
@juliedduncan Atina is about one hour and a half south from Rome, where I live. Sure, I (and my co-author, we are two) looked all the documents in the museum, and many other Maria’s grand-grand-grand-nephew has, with photos and letters... plus tons of documents regarding Paris and the artists of the time, with whom she liaised. Thank you!
April 27th, 2020
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Ah, fav, of course!
It’s the story of Maria Caira, a girl from a little town in southern Latium migrated to Paris at the age of 15, in 1866. Initially she works as a model, first for F.W.McMonnies (her bronze portrait as Diana the huntress is exposed at the NY Met), then for J.A.McNeill Whistler and many others. The girls has a fierce character and determination: at a time when women were not allowed at the Academie des Beaux Arts, she manages to put together the funds to establish a school of arts reserved to female artists. In a few years the Academie Vitti (named after her husband's family name) in Avenue du Montparnasse no. 49 becomes one of the three most important private art academies in Paris. P.Gauguin is one of her first employees-teachers and over 20 years, more than 1,000 women students, mainly American, attend courses at her school. Even P.Picasso advises a young Guatemalan painter, recommended to him, to take lessons at the Academie Vitti when K.van Dongen teaches there, at the beginning of the 20th Century. Maria becomes rich, and on the eve of World War I, she and her family come back to Italy. Sadly, her village rejects her and the post war crisis consumes most of her wealth (including 57 paintings of which we have the minutes of seizure by the local tribunal), but poverty doesn’t make her lose her temper and character.