Eugene de Blaas was an Italian painter of genre scenes. He created his paintings in accordance with the principles of Academic Art.
Background
De Blaas was born in Albano, Italy, on July 24, 1843. He was the son of Karl von Blaas, one of the most notable portrait painters of Roman society, a successful history, portrait and fresco painter of the late Biedermeier period. Soon after his birth the family moved to Venice because his father was appointed professor at the Art Academy there.
Education
Initially, Eugene de Blaas studied painting with his father but chose different subject matter. He also was a student of the Academy of Rome, where he was the pupil of his father, and the Academies of Vienna (now Academy of Fine Arts Vienna) and Venice (now the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia).
De Blaas worked as a professor at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia. It was in Venice that de Blaas established himself as the leading painter of Venetian genre.
The artist spent much time creating monumental artworks of Venetian fishing families. These works are of great quality. They prove de Blaas’ mastery of portraiture for which he is particularly renowned.
Eugene de Blaas visited Belgium and France and lived in England for a time. Eugene von Blaas had extensive exposure to his work through exhibitions. For example, he exhibited twelve of his works at the Royal Academy, London, between 1875 and 1891. By 1885 he had been represented by the art dealer Arthur Tooth & Son in London before moving to T. Maclean in 1886, also in London.
Later his paintings were displayed at the Esposizione Nationale exhibitions in Venice and the Jubilaums Austellungs in Vienna and Municht, the New Gallery and the Grafton Gallery, London, the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
Eugene de Blaas: 135 Academic Paintings
This book contains 135 Reproductions of Academic portraits of Venetian women and genre scenes with biography and annotations.