The sisters
Francesco Galante, oil on canvas, cm 44x48
(Margherita di Savoia 1884 – Naples 1972)
A pupil of Michele Cammarano and Vincenzo Volpe at the Naples Royal Institute of Fine Arts, Francesco Galante established himself as one of the most sensitive interpreters of twentiethcentury Italian genre painting. In this canvas, known by the title The Sisters, the distinctive features of his mature style are fully displayed, aiming to render domestic scenes with profound emotional engagement. The two young girls, in a moment of quiet, are absorbed in playing with a doll. Much like The Embroiderer (entry 38), Galante favours a suspended and serene intimacy of atmosphere; the handling of paint, characterised by a palette of warm tones and a soft light, is beautifully capable of evoking a sense of calm and domestic familiarity
