This fine late 19th-century oil painting by Italian artist Giovanni Rota (1832-1900) depicts a cheerful young lady looking back over her shoulder with a straw hat and lilac ribbon.Radiant, effusive and captivating, Rota’s vivid works convey the buoyancy of a bright Venetian summer. He painted with such conviction that he rendered colour akin to glazed porcelain. The skin tones are convincingly realistic and the figure carries a three-dimensional quality. She’s simultaneously statuesque and yet bustling with energy.Born in Trieste, Rota trained initially under Augusto Tominz (1818-1883) before enrolling at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia. Immersing himself in the sumptuous works of the Venetian masters, he toiled feverishly in their shadow. Renaissance Venice was known for producing some of the finest colourists the world has ever witnessed and, evidently, the young aspirant was inspired.During the early part of his career, he produced numerous religious works in addi...