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Leopold Pollak
self-portrait
1857
Uffizi Gallery |
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On 14th of April,
at 4 p.m. in Uffizi Gallery San Pier Scheraggio, was presented the
self-portrait of the Czech painter Léopold Pollak (8. 11. 1806
Lodenice/Bohemia – 16. 10. 1880 Rome), after the works of restoration
by Maria Rita Signorini.
During the event were presented the historical relationships and cultural
exchanges among Italy and Czech Republic, followed by the presentation
of a class of Czech langauge at the High School Machiavelli-Capponi
for next academic year. At the conclusion the folk group "Vonicka"
have performed traditional folk dance and musics.
The restoration has been promoted by the Honorary Consulate of Czech
Republic for Tuscany Region and a Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation, with
the co-operation of and the support of
Vivahotels
and the restorer Signorini as well.
The Czech painter Léopold Pollak, who since 1831 and for most of his life
has lived in Italy; in 1853 become Roman Citizen. The painting was
donated to the Uffizi Gallery by the painter’s son, Henry (Heinrich),
in 1908. In the archive of Uffizi Gallery is kept the collection of
letters between Henry (in Wien during 1926-1931) and Uffizi Gallery
direction and the Ministry, concerning the possibility to exhibit the
work donated.
This Bohemian painter, son of a well-off Jewish merchant, soon showed his
talent for painting. In 1819, he entered the Academy of Fine Arts in
Prague, where he studied for 5 years in the class of director Bergler.
Then he continued his studies in Vienna with Krafft and Peter. When he
returned to Prague, the quality of his paintings convinced his parents
to supply him with money so that he can go to study in Rome (shortly
going round to Munich). In 1831, after taking part in an exhibition in
Prague with the
portrait of his parents, the painter went to Rome with his friend,
Schaller, where in the beginning did not have any success. During the
first eight years in Rome, he could not sell any of his paintings, in
spite of the constant work and the recognition and encouragement of
his friends and other artists (including the director of the Academy
of Fine Arts in Paris). It was only when a lady, who went to see his
atelier with his friends, bought one of his paintings, “Il Pastorello”,
that happened a turning point in
Pollak’s career. In 1841, he returned for a short period to Prague to
finish the “Graziosa” (“The shepherdess with lamb”). In 1846, he
visited Vienna but soon returned to Italy, where he obtained Roman
citizenship in 1853. During all these years, he continued to send his
paintings to exhibitions in Prague and he also returned occasionally
to Bohemia. In 1855, he spent some time in Carlsbad and in 1873 in
Marienbad, the two famous spas of West Bohemia.
Leopold Pollak had two sons: August, born in 1838, became also a painter,
Enrico (Heinrich), born around 1854, was a merchant and represented
the business of his father in Vienna, during the life of this one and
even after. In 1908, he gave the self-portrait of his father to the
Uffizi Gallery, where can be also found the correspondence from the
period of 1926-1931 between the direction of the Uffizi Gallery and
the Ministry of Education, concerning the possible exhibition of
painting.
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