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Carlotta d'Asburgo a Miramare, Napoli
Photos by New York Scugnizzo
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By Giovanni di Napoli
Born on July 26, 1854 in Polistena, a small town in the Province of Reggio Calabria, Francesco Jerace received his first instruction in art from his maternal grandfather, Francesco Morani, a descendent of a prolific family of artists from Calabria. He moved to Naples in 1869 and studied painting and sculpting at the Royal Institute of Fine Arts under the guidance of Tito Angelini, Tommaso Solari and Stanislao Lista. He first exhibited his work at the Società Promotrice di Belle Arti in Naples while only 18-years-of-age.
Highly prolific, Jerace would go on to create many works for public and private audiences, including portraits, allegorical figures, religious statuary and commemorative monuments. His style fluctuated between Classicism and Naturalism.
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Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy, Napoli
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In 1888 he was commissioned to sculpt a large figure of Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy for the western facade of the Palazzo Reale in Naples. It is one of eight statues representing the ruling dynasties of Naples and—in the case of his subject—the Kingdom of Italy. Despite my dislike for the tyrant I must admit Jerace masterfully portrayed "il re galantuomo" in heroic fashion. Incidentally, the artist's proclivity towards idealized realism also captured the likeness of the king's vile visage perfectly.
Perhaps his most famous sculpture is the bronze group Azione ("Action"), which was made in 1910 for the ostentatious Vittoriano, or Altare della Patria ("Altar of the Fatherland"), in Rome.
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Altar of the Fatherland, Rome
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Without question some of Jerace's finest works were his depictions of feminine beauty, an area in which he excelled. He was frequently sought after by discerning patrons to render model portraits or allegorical and historical heroines. His Victa, Nossis and Carlotta d'Asburgo [pictured above] are among his best.
With each commission Jerace's fame continued to grow. His work was showcased in numerous international salons and won several prestigious awards. He is considered by many to be one of the most important sculptors of the Neapolitan School in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
He died in Naples on April 8, 1937.
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Addendum
Even though the origins of this wonderful work are disputed I thought it would still be pertinent to include a photo of the Fontana della Sirena. Located in the Piazza Sannazzaro in Naples, some credit a young Francesco Jerace; others attribute it to the sculptor Onofrio Buccini.
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Fontana della Sirena, Napoli
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