Emilio Vasarri (1826–1928) — An Afternoon at the Baths

Original canvas measuring 74 cm by 53.5 cm
Frame measuring 86 cm by 69 cm

This painting is related to a work on the same theme (The Ladies of Pompeii), sold by Sotheby’s New York in 1991 for $35,000. Another painting from this series (The Festival of the Fountains) reached $120,000 including fees, also at Sotheby’s in 1996. The painting is signed lower right.

Our painting depicts a thermal scene from Antiquity, probably set in a public bath or a Roman house.
The whole composition is bathed in a soft, warm light, evoking a peaceful and intimate atmosphere.

In the foreground, several women are gathered within a refined architectural setting. On the left, two women bathe in a light marble basin; their gestures are graceful and natural, expressing relaxation. The water gently reflects their silhouettes and the ambient light.

At the center, a kneeling woman dressed in deep blue offers flowers to another seated on an ornate chair with sculpted motifs. Around them, two other women participate in the scene — one observing, the other handling a small object or piece of jewelry.

The background features classical architectural elements: columns, a male statue, a decorative frieze, and a golden drapery filtering the daylight. One can also make out a wall fresco depicting mythological or aquatic figures, adding cultural and aesthetic depth to the composition.

The dominant colors are soft and harmonious: flesh tones, ivory, gold, pale blue, and warm browns. The gilded frame enhances the richness and nobility of the subject, typical of the academic style of the late 19th or early 20th century.

Emilio Vasarri (1826–1928)

Emilio Vasarri was an Italian painter born in 1862 in Montevarchi, Tuscany. He received his artistic training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, where he quickly distinguished himself for his skill in figurative painting and academic drawing. A diligent student, he drew inspiration from the Florentine masters and developed a taste for refined and balanced compositions, characteristic of late 19th-century Italian classical painting.

His early career unfolded in Florence, then in Rome and Palermo, where he exhibited his first works in the late 1870s. He specialized in genre scenes and representations inspired by Antiquity, often featuring female figures in elegant interiors or Roman baths. These compositions, imbued with a strong decorative sense, reflect his devotion to beauty, gentleness, and grace.

Around 1897, Emilio Vasarri settled in Paris, then the artistic capital of Europe. There he continued his career, exhibiting at the Paris Salons and at the 1900 Universal Exposition, where he received a medal. His style, combining academic precision with sensuality, appealed to an international audience. Critics of his time praised the accuracy of his drawing, the delicacy of his colors, and the purity of his compositions.

Vasarri also contributed to major decorative works in Italy, notably at Villa Masini in Montevarchi, where he created several mural paintings and interior decorations. His works are now held in private collections and regularly appear on the art market, attesting to the enduring interest in this refined and elegant painter.

Emilio Vasarri died in 1928, according to most sources, although some cite 1931. His work remains emblematic of the neo-classical and historicist taste of the late 19th century, combining technical mastery, antique charm, and discreet sensuality. A street in his native town of Montevarchi now bears his name, in tribute to this talented Tuscan painter.