Carolina Giovanna Carlesimo

Place: Italy

Born: 1867

Death: 1923

Biography:

Carolina Giovanna Carlesimo, also known as Juana Romani, was a talented Italian-born French portrait painter and artists' model. Born in Velletri, Italy on April 30, 1867, she moved to Paris with her mother and stepfather at the age of ten. Her life took a dramatic turn when she began working as a model at several art schools, including the Académie Colarossi, where she was discovered by Filippo Colarossi.

Early Career

At the age of nineteen, Juana decided to pursue her own career in art. She changed her first name to "Juana", the Spanish equivalent of her middle name, "Giovanna". Her work was exhibited at the Salon of the Société des Artistes Français from 1888 to 1904. One of her notable works is La Gitane, a watercolor painting that she presented at her first Salon in 1888.

Modeling Career

Before becoming a painter, Juana worked as a model for several famous artists, including Alexandre Falguière, Jean-Jacques Henner, and Ferdinand Roybet. She posed for the sculpture Diana the Huntress, presented by Alexandre Falguière at the Salon of 1884. A version of this sculpture can still be admired at the Musée des Augustins de Toulouse.

Painting Style and Notable Works

Juana's painting style was characterized by strong and sensual female figures drawn from biblical history, theater, opera, history, and art history. Her works are marked by a pictorial tradition linked to antiquity and influenced by her masters. Some of her notable works include Biblical heroines painted in her signature romantic style. Key aspects of her painting style:

• Use of long billowing hair and enigmatic poses
• Exhibition of mysticism and power in her female figures
• Influence of her masters, including Jean-Jacques Henner and Ferdinand Roybet

Legacy and Later Life

Juana's work was well received by critics, with Louis Gonse of Le Monde moderne declaring that she was more skillful than her mentor, Roybet. However, her life took a turn for the worse in her later years, and she became mentally unsound. She died in 1923 or 1924, and her remaining works were auctioned off at the Hôtel Drouot. Many of her paintings can be seen at the Musée d'Orsay, including some of her notable portraits of women. For more information about Juana Romani's life and work, visit Carolina Giovanna Carlesimo or Juana Romani on Wikipedia. Her paintings can also be found at Galleria Sabauda, a museum located in Turin, Italy.