Extraordinary set of 19th Century Italian Paintings by Gioacchino La Piro

Extraordinary set of Italian paintings by Gioacchino La Piro in excellent condition.

Gioacchino La Piro

Gouache on Paper

55 x 40cm

Set of all 5 for £5,000

These are superb examples of La Pira’s work and have good strong colour and have not been exposed to light. The paintings show scenes of Naples, Pompeii and Vesuvius. Three with pencil inscriptions to back "Grotto di Pozzuoli Lapira", "Casa a Fontana Pompei Lapira", "Genere del 1848 Lapira".
 
This painting is an excellent example of the work of Gioacchino La Pira, a well known painter of Grand Tour tourist views in the mid nineteenth century.  His à la gouache technique was used by a small group of Neapolitan painters and his emphasis on the light, liveliness and freshness of the atmosphere was achieved partly by this technique.  He is known to have been active from 1839 to 1875, and he is specifically mentioned in Murray's Guide of 1837 and another handbook for travellers of 1869.  His work is not common but examples appear at auction from time to time.
 
The painting is enhanced by a period maple frame with a gilt slip.  There is no mount but the painting has its original painted lined border.
 
The Grotta di Pozzuoli is a tunnel built in the 1st century AD by the Romans to connect Naples to the town of Pozzuoli, an important port and also the source of a volcanic sand which made effective concrete.  By La Pira's day is was still used by locals but also, at 700m long, was a popular tourist attraction.  The contrasts of light around the tunnel provided a strimulating subject for painting, exploited by many artists