Verism

Verism

Verism was a realistic style in Roman art, primarily observed in portraiture of politicians.

This artistic approach accentuated the imperfections of the subjects' faces, particularly emphasising signs of ageing and gravitas.

The term 'verismo' was initially used around 1900 to describe the violent and melodramatic operas of Puccini and Mascagni. In painting, it has also evolved to signify realism in the modern sense, depicting objects with a high degree of fidelity to their appearances.


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Parra's studio, with Parra at the centre, his back to the camera as he works on the large painting takes centre stage, showing a faceless blue woman in a striped dress, painted in red, purple, blue and teal. The studio is full of brightly coloured paints, with a large window on the right and a patterned rug across the floor under the painting.