(Noale 1847–1916 Venice)
The Medal, signed E. Lancerotto, oil on canvas, 142 x 97 cm, framed, (GG)

Illustrated in:
Lucio Scardino, La Civica Quadreria di Egisto Lancerotto, pittore di Noale (1847–1916), Liberty House, Ferrara 1999, p. 10.

Egisto Lancerotto was born in Noale but moved with his family to Venice as a boy. He studied at the Venice Academy under the academic painter Pompeo Marino Molmenti (1819-1884). Despite his academic training, he was more interested in depicting scenes from everyday life; the artist was entranced by the culture and inhabitants of Venice.
He quickly associated himself with the artists of the Venetian avant-garde. By 1880, at the age of 37, he had become one of Venice’s leading painters alongside Giacomo Favretto (1849–1887), Ettore Tito (1859–1941) and Luigi Nono (1850–1918).
In the present work Lancerotto has captured an intimate moment between two young women and a soldier, proudly showing them his medal. He carefully depicts the gestures and variety of expressions, such as those of the young woman who appears most impressed by the soldier’s decoration. The costumes are colourful and accurately reproduced.
He intended his paintings to be faithful records of daily life as experienced by the residents of Venice.