Italian school, 19th century.

Italian School, 19th century.
Mythological scene.
Mixed media on paper.
Measurements: 18 x 24 cm; 32.5 x 38.5 cm (frame).

The painter has placed various figures—men, women, and children—around a fishing boat beached on the sand, facing the sea. The presence of the three children, reminiscent of the putti or cupids of classical and Renaissance art, as well as the characters’ gestures, suggests a mythological scene rather than a depiction of fishermen. One of the men plucks the strings of a mandolin while, beside him, a woman lies reclining with a look of abandon. A young man is depicted entirely from behind, gazing out at the sea and the children playing on the shore. The painter has focused on the figure’s anatomy, producing an intriguing study.