Vincenzo Chilone (1758-1839) stands as a noteworthy, if sometimes overlooked, figure in the lineage of Venetian view painters, or vedutisti. Active during a tumultuous period that saw the decline and fall of the Venetian Republic, the Napoleonic upheavals, and the subsequent Austrian rule, Chilone’s art offers a fascinating window into the enduring allure of Venice and the challenges faced by artists in a city losing its centuries-old political and economic power. As a student of the renowned Canaletto, Chilone inherited a rich tradition, yet his career was marked by a persistent struggle against poverty, a testament to the shifting tides of patronage and artistic taste in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Born in Venice in 1758, Vincenzo Chilone's early life was characterized by hardship. His family circumstances were modest, and before he could dedicate himself to art, he was compelled to work as a silk maker for approximately twelve years to earn a living. This practical, craft-based occupation contrasts sharply with the often romanticized image of an artist's apprenticeship, highlighting the economic realities that shaped many creative careers during this era. It was only after this period that Chilone managed to pursue his true passion: painting.
His artistic training took a decisive turn when he became a pupil of Giovanni Antonio Canal, universally known as Canaletto (1697-1768). Although Canaletto would have been in his later years, and indeed passed away when Chilone was only ten, the influence likely came through Canaletto's studio practices, his remaining assistants, or established followers who perpetuated his style. Canaletto was the undisputed master of the Venetian veduta, celebrated for his luminous, meticulously detailed, and topographically accurate depictions of the city. His work, often utilizing the camera obscura for precision, set the standard for view painting and was immensely popular with Grand Tour travelers. For Chilone, to be associated with Canaletto’s legacy was both a privilege and a formidable benchmark.
The Venetian Context: A City in Twilight
Chilone's artistic career unfolded against the backdrop of profound political and social change in Venice. The once-mighty maritime republic, "La Serenissima," was in its twilight years. Its economic dominance had long since waned, and its political influence was negligible. The opulent cultural life, however, persisted, with Venice remaining a key stop on the Grand Tour, attracting wealthy foreigners eager for souvenirs of its unique beauty. Artists like Canaletto, Francesco Guardi (1712-1793), and Bernardo Bellotto (1721-1780), Canaletto's nephew, had thrived in this environment.
However, the French Revolution and the subsequent Napoleonic Wars brought this era to an abrupt end. In 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Venice, ending over a thousand years of independence. The city was then ceded to Austria, briefly incorporated into Napoleon's Kingdom of Italy, and then returned to Austrian control after Napoleon's fall in 1815. This period of instability profoundly affected the city's economy and its artistic patronage system. The traditional sources of commissions – the Venetian nobility, the Church, and wealthy tourists – diminished, creating a challenging environment for artists like Chilone.
Artistic Style, Influences, and Reception
Vincenzo Chilone specialized in vedute, following the path of his master. His paintings primarily depict the iconic sights of Venice: St. Mark's Square, the Doge's Palace, the Grand Canal, and various churches and campi (squares). He also produced architectural decoration. Stylistically, Chilone’s work clearly shows the influence of Canaletto in its attention to architectural detail and perspective. However, he developed certain individual characteristics. His palette often leaned towards cooler tones, with blues and greens featuring prominently, lending a distinct atmosphere to his scenes.
Despite his adherence to the Canaletto tradition, art historical assessment of Chilone's work has sometimes been critical. Some scholars have described his style as somewhat "dry," "flat," or "hard," suggesting that his paintings occasionally lack the atmospheric vibrancy or the seamless integration of figures and architecture that characterized the golden age of 18th-century Venetian view painting, particularly in the works of Canaletto or the more impressionistic, evocative cityscapes of Francesco Guardi. Guardi, for instance, often imbued his scenes with a sense of movement and a more melancholic, romantic sensibility, contrasting with Canaletto's sunlit precision. Chilone's figures, at times, can appear more like staffage, less organically part of the urban fabric than in the works of his predecessors.
It is important to consider that Chilone was working in a period where Neoclassicism was gaining ascendancy across Europe. While Venice had its own Neoclassical proponents, such as the renowned sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822), the veduta tradition itself was evolving. Chilone’s more measured, perhaps less flamboyant style might reflect a subtle shift towards the more restrained aesthetic of Neoclassicism, or it could simply be a manifestation of his personal artistic temperament and the economic constraints that may have limited his resources or time for elaborate finishing.
Other Venetian painters of the era who continued or adapted the veduta tradition include Michele Marieschi (1710-1743), whose career was shorter but who produced vibrant and sometimes dramatically angled views, and later figures like Giuseppe Borsato (1770-1849), a contemporary of Chilone, who also worked in view painting and decorative arts, sometimes collaborating on theatrical designs. The legacy of Canaletto was so potent that it continued to inspire artists well into the 19th century, such as Ippolito Caffi (1809-1866), who brought a more romantic and sometimes dramatic flair to his Venetian scenes, often depicting festivals, night scenes, or unusual weather conditions.
"The Return of the Horses of St. Mark": A Masterpiece of Historical Record
One of Vincenzo Chilone's most significant and celebrated works is "The Return of the Horses of St. Mark," painted around 1815. This painting is not merely a cityscape but a historical document, capturing a moment of profound symbolic importance for Venice. The four gilded bronze horses, which had adorned the facade of St. Mark's Basilica for centuries, have a storied past. Originally believed to be ancient Greek or Roman, they were looted from Constantinople by Venetian forces during the Fourth Crusade in 1204, under Doge Enrico Dandolo.
These magnificent sculptures became potent symbols of Venetian power and prestige. However, during Napoleon's Italian campaigns, they were plundered again, this time by the French, and taken to Paris in 1797 to adorn the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. After Napoleon's defeat, the victorious powers, particularly Austria (which now controlled Venice), arranged for the return of many looted artworks. The horses were ceremoniously brought back to Venice in 1815.
Chilone’s painting depicts the grand ceremony in St. Mark's Square celebrating this restitution. The composition shows the square bustling with figures, flags, and celebratory structures, with the Basilica as the focal point. The work demonstrates Chilone's skill in handling complex architectural perspectives and large groups of figures. While his figure painting might be critiqued in other contexts, here the collective energy of the crowd and the grandeur of the occasion are effectively conveyed. This painting is invaluable for its historical record, capturing the relief and pride of the Venetians at the recovery of these cherished symbols. It also represents an attempt by Chilone to engage with a more narrative and historically significant subject, moving beyond the purely topographical veduta.
Other artists of the period also recorded significant historical or civic events. For instance, Francesco Hayez (1791-1882), though more associated with Milan and Romanticism, studied in Venice and his historical paintings often carried strong patriotic or political undertones, a trend that grew throughout the 19th century. Chilone's painting, while celebratory, also subtly underscores Venice's subjugated status, as the return was orchestrated by the Austrian authorities.
Recognition Amidst Adversity
Despite the challenges of his era and the criticisms leveled at his style by later art historians, Vincenzo Chilone did achieve a measure of recognition during his lifetime. A significant milestone was his acceptance into the Venetian Academy of Fine Arts (Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia) in 1824. Membership in the Academy was a mark of professional standing and acknowledged his contribution to the city's artistic life. The Academy itself, founded in 1750 with Giovanni Battista Tiepolo as its first president, played a crucial role in art education and the preservation of artistic standards in Venice, especially as traditional forms of patronage were changing.
However, this official recognition did not translate into financial security. Chilone lived most of his life in poverty. The market for vedute, while still existing, was not as robust as in the mid-18th century. The Grand Tour had been disrupted by wars, and the new political masters of Venice, the Austrians, had different priorities. Local patrons were also less affluent. This economic precarity was a common fate for many artists who were not at the very pinnacle of fame or who did not adapt to new market demands. It is a poignant irony that an artist who so diligently chronicled the splendors of Venice should himself struggle to make ends meet. His life story echoes that of other artists who, despite talent and dedication, found themselves on the margins of economic success. For example, even the brilliant Francesco Guardi, whose posthumous fame far outstrips Chilone's, experienced periods of financial difficulty.
Chilone continued to paint, producing views of Venice that, while perhaps not possessing the innovative spark of a Canaletto or the atmospheric poetry of a Guardi, nonetheless provided a faithful and skilled record of the city. His works would have appealed to a clientele seeking competent and recognizable depictions of Venice's famous landmarks. He was part of a group of later vedutisti, including artists like Giacomo Guardi (Francesco's son, 1764-1835), who continued to produce smaller, often more affordable views for a changing market. Other painters like Luigi Querena (1824-1887) and Federico Moja (1802-1885) would carry the tradition of Venetian view painting further into the 19th century, adapting to new tastes that sometimes favored more romantic or anecdotal elements.
Later Years and Legacy
Vincenzo Chilone passed away in Venice in 1839, reportedly in conditions of poverty. His death marked the end of a career dedicated to capturing the enduring beauty of his native city, a career that spanned a period of immense transformation. While he may not be counted among the giants of Venetian painting like Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, or even the leading vedutisti like Canaletto and Guardi, Chilone’s contribution is significant in its own right.
His paintings serve as valuable historical documents, not only of the city's appearance but also of specific events like the return of the St. Mark's horses. They represent the continuation of a major Venetian artistic tradition at a time when that tradition was under pressure from changing tastes and socio-economic conditions. Chilone can be seen as a transitional figure, linking the great 18th-century veduta painters with those who would continue to depict Venice in the 19th century, albeit often with different stylistic approaches.
In recent times, there has been a gentle resurgence of interest in lesser-known artists of historical periods, and Chilone's works occasionally appear at auction. For instance, a discovery at a London auction in 2015 reportedly brought one of his works to light, prompting a re-evaluation of his skill and contribution. Such events help to fill out the picture of artistic production in Venice during his lifetime. His paintings are held in various public and private collections, ensuring that his vision of Venice endures.
Artists like Guglielmo Ciardi (1842-1917) and his children, Emma Ciardi (1879-1933) and Beppe Ciardi (1875-1932), would later depict Venice with a fresh, more impressionistic or post-impressionistic sensibility, but the groundwork of detailed topographical representation laid by painters like Chilone remained an important part of the city's artistic DNA. Even the more genre-focused Venetian scenes of Giacomo Favretto (1849-1887) benefit from the established visual vocabulary of the city's spaces, a vocabulary Chilone helped to maintain.
Conclusion: An Enduring Chronicler of Venice
Vincenzo Chilone’s life and art offer a compelling narrative of an artist navigating a period of profound change. As a student of the Canaletto school, he was an inheritor of a celebrated artistic tradition, yet he forged his career in the shadow of Venice's decline and amidst personal financial struggles. His depictions of Venice, characterized by their cool palette and diligent architectural rendering, provide a valuable record of the city during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His masterpiece, "The Return of the Horses of St. Mark," stands as a significant historical painting, capturing a moment of civic pride and resilience.
While his style may have been viewed by some as less dynamic than that of his 18th-century predecessors, Chilone’s dedication to his craft and his city is undeniable. He remains an important figure for understanding the continuity and evolution of Venetian view painting, a steadfast chronicler of La Serenissima's timeless beauty even as its worldly power faded. His story is a reminder of the many artists who contribute to the rich tapestry of art history, often working diligently in the shadows of giants, yet leaving behind a legacy worthy of appreciation and study.
