Giovanni Boldini 1842 - 1931 — an Italian portrait artist who was called the "painter of chic" and an outstanding master of the Edwardian era, that is, the period of the reign of the English King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910. Luxurious women, exquisite outfits, dinners with champagne and pineapples - all the splendor of high society life of that time was embodied in his paintings.
Portrait of Madame Réjean
He was the eighth child in the family of the artist Antonio Boldini, and he had to fight his way up only through his persistence and talent. The young Giovanni was taught the basics of painting by his father, and then he moved from the provincial Ferrara to Florence. There he was admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts, but Boldini's boring lectures did not attract much attention, so he rarely attended them. But he became one of the artists who belonged to the Macchiaioli group. They often met at Michelangelo's cafe, where they discussed the ways of art development and then went to paint landscapes in the style of Italian Impressionism. But Boldini was more interested in portraits than in landscapes.
Portrait of Cleo de Merode
In 1867, Boldini went to Paris, where he studied the work of the realists Courbet and Meissonier and became friends with the impressionists Monet and Edgar Degas. A few years later, he moved to London to earn money, where he painted portraits of members of the local aristocracy. But the cold and damp climate of London was inferior to that of Paris, and the local customs seemed too primitive to him. He therefore returned to Paris again and began to live there permanently, during which time he gained a reputation as the most fashionable portraitist.
Lina Cavalieri
He participated several times in the Paris Salons and was awarded the Grand Prix at the World Exhibitions of 1899 and 1900. In general, his career was on the rise. But the First World War began, and Boldini decided to leave the turmoil of the war and return to London, occasionally moving to Nice for a vacation. In general, he lived the life of the aristocracy, whose portraits he painted so willingly, and fortunately he charged a lot for his work and could afford it.
Portrait of Rita de Acosta Lydig
Boldini became famous for his portraits of women, which he treated with typical Italian passion, especially if the model was pretty and not averse to a relationship with the artist. All of high society gossiped about his affairs, and the artist's private life was very stormy. He had numerous mistresses, but only married the journalist Emilia Cordone at the age of 86. Perhaps it was a marriage of convenience for her, fortunately the elderly artist was a very wealthy man, but Boldini himself spent the last two years of his life in the care of his wife, and what more do you need in old age?
Portrait of Countess Gabrielle de Rasty, Boldini's mistress
And in 2010, Boldini was in the news again. Frenchwoman Solange Beaugiron left behind a time capsule of sorts. She was the owner of a luxurious apartment in Paris, but during the Second World War she moved out of it to the south of France. She never returned, although she was alive, healthy, and even paid all the bills so that the heating would not be turned off in the winter. When Solange Beaugiron died at the age of 91, her heirs opened this very apartment and found, among other perfectly preserved things, a portrait of Marthe de Florian painted by Boldini.
Portrait of Martha de Florian
Marta was a highly paid courtesan and actress, which was common in those days. She gave birth to her first child at the age of 18 and couldn't even remember who the father was. The child, who was of no use to anyone, lived only three months, and Marta once again went on a rampage. She had numerous affairs, including one with the womanizer Boldini. Perhaps she paid for her portrait in the usual way...
And the resourceful heirs put the painting up for auction, and with an initial price of $300,000, they got $3 million for it. And, honestly, it's worth that kind of money.
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