Silvestro Lega’s The First Pain also know as the "Il Primo Dolore", created in 1863, is a small painting done in oil on canvas and is currently in the possession of the Palazzo della Provincia in Genoa. The painting depicts a little girl alone outside, holding a dead bird in her hands. Sorrow is depicted through the girl’s lowered head and passive position. Lega chose this ordinary situation to transfer the girl’s emotions rather than focus on any dramatic events happening in the painting.The painting dates back to Piagentina in 1863, the time when Lega had been devoted more and more to modern life and the naturalistic techniques of the Macchiaioli. Features such as soft outdoor light and sober color combinations help create the calm and meditative atmosphere of the painting. Death is depicted not in dramatic and tragic situations but through a simple event of child’s life, which makes feelings more immediate and personal. The painting was first exposed in March of 1863 at the Promotrice di Genova, and the critics of that time noticed its purity of lines and colors. By achieving modest composition and delicate presentation of grief, The First Pain turns a simple domestic event into an important statement about the loss of innocence.
'The First Pain' by Silvestro Lega, is a world's misery told from a child's perspective. The painting showcases a child in deep sadness and grief, over the death of a bird which may have been the child's pet. The first pain referenced here, is the first pain in this child's life; the first realization about the nature of death, caused by pain in her own life. Lega paints this scene in soft colours, with a meditative focus on the central figure of the child and the bird, and portrays death not as dramatic, but deeply personal. Through this painting, he gorgeously portrays themes of loss and innocence.
