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| Artist | Costa, Giovanni (Italian painter, 1826-1903) |
| Title | Campagna Romana |
| Date earliest | probably about 1883 |
| Date latest | probably about 1883 |
| Material | oil on panel |
| Measurements | 25 x 80 cm (estimate) |
| Inscription | front ll 'G Co[sta?]' |
| Description | The painting depicts a broad Italian landscape, not, however, in an idealised style, this is a working landscape. The fields are all ploughed, and Costa makes strong compositional use of the lines of furrows. In the centre is the small figure of the ploughman, busy at work, trudging the furrow after his ox. In the right foreground is a peasant woman, harvesting or tending a crop of some kind. |
| Subject | landscape; figure (peasants) |
| Collection | William Morris Gallery and Brangwyn Gift, Walthamstow |
| Current accession number | Br 0 72 |
| Previous accession number(s) | 2/1948 (5) |
| Acquisition details | Given by Sir Frank Brangwyn 1948. |
| Notes |
On rear of painting; label, hand-written in ink, 'Giovanni Costa Palazzo Odeschalchi [via?] Prati Roma or to c/o George Squire 293. Cetford Street W Campagna Romana near Acqua Acetosa 250 Guineas'. The painting has been dated from this label, which gives an address identical to that given in the Royal Academy catalogue of 1883. Sir Frank Brangwyn and the William Morris Gallery: From 1935 on, the artist Frank Brangwyn made a succession of gifts of paintings to the Borough of Walthamstow, with the intention that these should form the core of a permanent art collection. From the trust deed, dated 31 December 1935, relating to the gift of pictures from Frank Brangwyn RA to Walthamstow; 'The exhibition shall be a permanent exhibition of the work of men worth remembering for their contribution to beauty and whatever goes to the enrichment of life and the furnishing of its needs, the desire of the Donors being that it shall form a memorial to the aims and achievements of William Morris and those who laboured with him as well as the lifework of those have carried on the inspiration of that reawakening to the true purpose of art.' The William Morris Gallery was finally opened 21 October 1950, by the Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. C. R. Attlee, C.H., M.P. |
| Rights status | William Morris Gallery (London Borough of Waltham Forest) |
| Author | Malcolm Barclay |
