Voluptuousness 1900

Vincenzo Irolli painted this large canvas, titled "Voluptuousness", at some point during his career in late 19th and early 20th century Naples. The work captures the mood and the moment of a woman who is clearly enjoying a cigarette. Although the title references sensual pleasure, it is worth asking whether Irolli was commenting on something more than physical gratification. The painting might refer to new freedoms for women in Southern Italy at the time. The woman appears relaxed and independent, enjoying what was still considered a masculine activity. The palette of intense reds and blues adds to the feeling of heightened emotion, but we might also interpret it as a nod to the bold and revolutionary politics of the region. To understand such a painting fully, the art historian researches not only the artist, but the culture and the institutions of his time. What were the social norms, and in what ways might this image be challenging them? What was the status of women and of the working classes at that time? These are the questions that illuminate the painting’s historical meaning.