The White Cat
The White Cat by Italian Painter Vittorio Matteo Corcos (1859 – 1933); known for his genre artwork depicting finely dressed men and women in times of leisure and play.
The White Cat is a dreamy like portrait of a beautiful young lady looking at the viewer in an over the shoulder white silk dress, with an addition sheer green and blue linen shawl that she is also sitting on; but that come out over the right armrest of the couch; and with her left arm almost entirely wrapped by it with just about her hand and wrist showing through.
She is relaxing in a large cushioned chair with a very large silk or satin pillow behind her holding a flower in her right; and there are additional white, purple and pink flowers on the right side of the couch.
Too her left, and resting on her left shoulder, we see a curios white cat with reddish ears and nose, being partially covered by the sheer green and blue shawl looking into the distance
The White Cat is a retouched digital art old masters reproduction of a public domain image.
Info Below Derived From Wikipedia.org
Vittorio was born to Jewish parents, Isacco e Giuditta Baquis, in Livorno, and at the age of 16, he obtained is artistic training at the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence under the tutelage of Italian Painter Enrico Pollastrini (1817 – 1876).
Then between 1878 and 1879 he worked under Italian Painter Domenico Morelli (1826 – 1901) in Naples; known for producing historical and religious paintings; and who was considered to be a great influence in the arts of the second half of the 19th Century.
Vittorio then traveled to Paris where he met French Painter Léon Bonnat (1833 – 1922), and signed a contract with the Goupil & Cie a leading dealership in 19th century France, from which he was able to supplement his income as a portrait painter with illustrations for magazines.
He frequented the circles of Italian Painter Giuseppe De Nittis (considered to be one of the most important Italian Painters of the 19th century); and from 1881 until 1886, he frequently exhibited at the Salon.
In 1886 Vittorio returned to Italy, putatively to join the army, and then settled in Florence. At which time he converted to Catholicism and married a widow named Emma Ciabatti.
In Florence, he made friends in the intellectual circles of the time, and made portraits of Italian Realist painter Silvestro Lega (1826 – 1895), Italian Poet Giosue Carducci (1835 – 1907), and Italian Composer Pietro Mascagni (1863 – 1945).
After 1900, he wrote for the Florentine Journal Il Marzocco.; as well as published a short story in the magazine Fanfulla della Domenica titled Mademoiselle Leprince.
In 1904, he traveled to Potsdam to paint Emperor William II (1859 – 1941) and other members of the German monarchy.
During World War I in 1916, Vittorio’s son died in battle. Later in the 1920s he joined the Gruppo Labronico along with Italian Painters Plinio Nomellini (1866 – 1943) and Ulvi Liegi (1858 – 1939).
He also painted portraits of Mussolini (Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini 1883 – 1945) in 1928; Countess Annina Morosini (1924 – 1965); Countess Nerina Volpi di Misurata; Carducci, Puccini and Mascagni; Queen Amélie of Portugal and Princess of Orleans.
