Florence, Porta a Prato 1887

Vittorio Matteo Corcos painted this view of Florence’s Porta a Prato, a snapshot of urban life rendered with loose brushstrokes. Corcos’s Italy was a nation grappling with unification and modernization. While he captured the Italian landscape, his paintings also suggest a careful observation of societal norms and class distinctions. Notice the figures populating the scene: the fashionable woman on the right, perhaps a member of the bourgeoisie, stands apart from the bustling activity of the working class. While seemingly a simple street scene, Corcos’s painting subtly hints at the transformations and social stratifications within Italy at the time. It makes me think of how an artist’s personal history shapes their interpretation of place and identity.