The Dying Mazzini (Mazzini morente)
| Support Type: | Canvas |
| Paint Type: | Oil Paint |
| Current Location: | RISD Museum |
| Location History: | The painting was in the collection of James Duncan of Benmore, Scotland, by 1882 and was later sold at Christie, Manson and Woods, London, in 1895. It subsequently entered the collection of Louis Wilhelm Ferdinand Behrens at Newfield House, Forest Hill, London. After 1910, the work descended through the Tunstall-Behrens family and later belonged to Brian Tunstall-Behrens of Wiltshire. The painting was sold again at Christie’s, London, in 1959, acquired by the art dealer Julius Weitzner, and subsequently entered the RISD Museum, Providence, Rhode Island, in the same year. |
Guissepe Mazzini is known as an important Italian figure of the Riogrimento or Unification of Italy movement of the 19th century. Silvestro Lega, the artist behind this work, followed the same republican ideas as Mazzini, and he created this work as a tribute to his political leader. The painting here shows Mazzini in a resting posture. He is placed diagonally in the composition, with eyes closed and head lying on a pillow. His gentle hands are placed on top of each other and he is shown wearing a robe. Lega chose a simple background with warm tones, in order to bring the attention solely to the resting figure of Mazzini in the painting. Further, the limited use of colour and composition has given the work a quiet and intimate atmosphere. For bringing historical accuracy, the Silvestro Lega gathered documents and archival materials and made preparatory studies of Mazzini’s head. He did not choose the moment after death, rather, he captured Mazzini when he was alive a few hours before his passing. The painting here does not show a dramatic portrayal, but a real and respectful representation of the leader by the artist. These reasons essentially contributed towards making this painting as one of the important visual memories of Guiseppe Mazzini.