Girolamo Gianni Art

A beautiful view of the Tiber looking towards the Castel Sant'Angelo, with Saint Peter's Basilica in the distance signed 'G. Girolamo' and dated 1868. Girolamo Gianni was born in Naples in 1837 and initially the artist painted Neopolitan views. In 1866, he traveled to Malta and started painting views which became quite successful. He returned to Naples in 1867 but he was very impressed with Malta and returned there with all his family in 1868. There are very few paintings of Gianni depicting motifs from Rome but probably he stayed there for a short time before he went to Malta in 1868. Our painting is dated the same year. Gianni remained in Malta until around 1887 or 1888 where he produced many works of the Valetta Harbour and also other views around Malta. During the two decades in Malta, the artist produced a prolific flow of landscapes and marine paintings. Most of these works were purchased by the officer class of the British garrison in Malta as well as their Naval counterparts. Following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 the British Naval presence in the Mediterranean, with Malta as the centre, went from strength to strength. There was a huge demand for momentos of Malta and Valletta Harbour and Gianni fulfilled this requirement. He set himself up a painting studio and school and artists of the period were proud to be his pupils. After the artist returned to Naples around 1888, he remained there for the latter part of his life although he continued to paint Malta. He died in Naples in 1895. Gianni left behind him a devoted band of artist pupils or followers and his influence is easily detected in the works of Nicola Crescimanno, Luigi Maria Galea...