Sofia Giordano
Sofia Giordano (1778–1829) was an Italian painter.
Giordano was born to poor parents[1] in Turin as Sofia Clerc. Her maiden name has been also given variously as Clerk, Le Clerc, Leclerk, and other variants on the same. Early in life she evinced a talent for drawing, and the painter recommended further study, in which she was supported by banker Giacinto Vinay. At 18 she went to Rome to study miniature painting and pastel with Therese Maron.[2] During this time she became a member of the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca, upon which occasion her portrait, still held by the Accademia, was painted by .[3] She produced three pastel copies during this period of her study before turning to painting miniatures on ivory. After a few years Vinay demanded she return to Turin, where she became member of the . In 1803 she married the surgeon Giovanni Giordano, continuing to paint and exhibit under her maiden name. She continued to produce pastels, and began working in oil on canvas as well. In 1812 the Turin Academy awarded her a gold medal for her work. Giordano had two children and died of a nervous fever.[2]
Giordano's work won the acclaim of Napoleon Bonaparte, among others.[3] A pastel portrait of Giacinto Vinay is in the collection of the in Asti.[4]
References[]
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- ^ Delle donne illustri italiane dal XIII al XIX secolo. Pallotta. 1840. pp. 292–.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Profile at the Dictionary of Pastellists Before 1800.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Sofia Clerk – Accademia di San Luca". www.accademiasanluca.eu. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ "Giacinto Vinay – Palazzo Mazzetti". www.palazzomazzetti.it. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- 1778 births
- 1829 deaths
- 18th-century Italian painters
- 18th-century Italian women artists
- 19th-century Italian painters
- 19th-century Italian women artists
- Artists from Turin
- Italian women painters
- Pastel artists
- Italian painter, 18th-century birth stubs