Читать книгу The Museo Vincenzo Vela in Ligornetto - Marc-Joachim Wasmer - Страница 5

Vincenzo Vela was born in Ligornetto on 3 May 1820 to Giuseppe Vela, a small-holder, and his wife Teresa, née Casanova. At the age of nine he was apprenticed as a stonecutter in the Besazio quarries, from the outset displaying a gift for craftsmanship. His elder brother Lorenzo, also a sculptor, recognized his talent and took Vincenzo with him to Milan, where he worked as a stonecutter on the Cathedral site while also studying at the Brera Fine Art Academy, and the Scuola d’Ornato (School of Decoration) in particular. Influenced by Francesco Hayez’ painting and the work of the Tuscan sculptor Lorenzo Bartolini, the young Vela’s style took on a marked realism, in contrast to the dry classicism of Canova’s followers. An extremely gifted student, he won many competitions and soon became the spokesman for the hopes of the new generations. In 1842, after winning a gold medal in Venice, he completed his studies and set up on his own.