Silvio Poma (Italian, 1840 – 1932)
 
Title: Sheep Herder "pastore di pecore"
 
This 19th century oil on canvas of sheep herders with village in the background measures 15" x 19" or in the period wood and gesso frame dimensions of 25" x 29", signed lower right, A. Poma. Though Poma is best known for his lakeview and seascape paintings, this landscape with people and farm animals is also a common subject for Poma and is a quintessential representation of his work.
 
Biography:
Silvio Poma was an Italian painter , mainly painting landscapes and lake-side seascapes of the Lombardy lake district.
He made his debut at the Esposizione di Belle Arti of the Brera of 1869 but received no official recognition until halfway through the following decade. A painting of a historical subject, Macbeth and the Witches of Dunsinane wood, depicted in a Romanticnatural setting, won the Mylius Prize of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in 1876. A landscape exhibited in Naples, Da Malgrate a Lecco, at the Esposizione Nazionale of Naples was bought by Vittorio Emanuele II in 1877. These helped propel his career.
Poma established his reputation as a landscape painter with a repertoire of lake views that are intimist in character while also displaying the influence of his contemporary Filippo Carcano in their realistic approach. The period from 1883 on saw an increase in activity with the systematic presentation of works at national exhibitions and lasting success in the art market.