Fortunino Matania (1881-1963) was an Italian artist noted for his realistic portrayal of World War I trench warfare and of a wide range of historical subjects. Born in Naples, the son of artist Eduoardo Matania, Fortunino Matania studied at his father’s studio, designing a soap advertisement at the age of 9 and exhibiting his first work at Naples Academy at 11. By the age of 14 he was helping his father produce illustrations for books and magazines. His talent was recognised by the editor of the Italian periodical L’Illustrazione Italiania and Matania produced weekly illustrations for the magazine between 1895 and 1902.
At the age of 20, Matania began working in Paris for Illustration Francaise and, in 1902, was invited to London to cover the Coronation of Edward VII for The Graphic. Matania would subsequently cover every major event ‘ marriage, christening, funeral and Coronation ‘ of British royalty up to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953.
In 1904, Matania joined the staff of The Sphere where some of his most famous work was to appear, including his illustrations of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Around 1906 to 1910 he painted the life in the lobby of the Hotel Excelsior in Rome.
At the outbreak of the First World War, Matania became a war artist and was acclaimed for his graphic and realistic images of trench warfare. His painting for the Blue Cross entitled Goodbye, Old Man, showing a British soldier saying farewell to his dying horse, is a fine example of his emotive work. His painting of the Green Howards including Henry Tandey is a central part of a famous story
But it was after the war, when he switched to scenes of ancient high life for the British woman’s magazine, Britannia and Eve, that Matania found his real career. He filled his London studio with reproductions of Roman furniture, pored over history books for suitably lively subjects. Then, with the help of models and statues, he began to paint such subjects as Samson & Delilah, the bacchanalian roisters of ancient Rome, and even early American Indian maidens – all with the same careful respect for accuracy and detail he had used in his news assignments.
Generally he managed to include one or two voluptuous nudes in each picture. “The public demanded it,” says Matania. “If there was no nude, then the editor or I would get a shower of letters from readers asking politely why not.” He was a standard in Britannia and Eve for 19 years.
Matania exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy and Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, in 1917 he was elected a member of the latter. From 1908 and his work appearing in most of the principal magazines in Britain and America, including Illustrated London News, London Magazine, Nash’s, Printer’s Pie and others. When Britannia and Eve was launched in 1929, Matania became one of its first contributors. For 19 years, he wrote and illustrated historical stories for the magazine. His talents made him a popular illustrator for advertising, posters and catalogues, working for Ovaltine, Burberry’s (the sporting outfitters) and many others. Matania was also recommented to Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille and produced a number of paintings of Rome and Egypt from which authentic designs could be made for the movie The Ten Commandments.
Towards the end of his life, Matania illustrated features for the educational weekly Look and Learn and was working on the series A Pageant of Kings at the time of his death.
This is Part 1 of a 5-Part series on the works of Fortunino Matania:
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| c1893 The Bay of Naples oil on panel 10.5 x 18 cm |
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| 1896 Study of Goats oil on board 32.5 x 43.5 cm |
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| 1900 Piccadilly Circus watercolour and gouache on paper 57.5 x 75.5 cm |
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| 1900 Piccadilly Circus detail |
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| 1900 Piccadilly Circus detail |
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| c1910 King Canute pencil and India ink on cardboard 33 x 24 cm |
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| c1910 The Funeral Service of H.R.H. King Edward VII in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, 20 May, 1910 pencil and ink on paper 34.4 x 51.4 cm |
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| c1910 The Funeral Service of H.R.H. King Edward VII detail |
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| c1910 The Funeral Service of H.R.H. King Edward VII detail |
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| c1911 H.R.H. King George V 1 with his Navy – An Impression at Spithead, June 24, 1911 pencil, black chalk, pen and black ink and grey wash heightened with white, on board 36.8 x 53.3 cm |
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| c1911 The Prince of Wales and Prince Albert in a Ceremonial Launching of a Lifeboat, Newquay, Cornwall pencil, black chalk, pen and black ink and grey wash heightened with white, on board 37 x 27 cm |
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| c1911 The Royal Maundy in St Paul’s, April, 1911 pencil, black chalk, pen and black ink and grey wash heightened with white, on board 37 x 27 cm |
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| c1912 Reception at India Office on the King’s Birthday, June 25th 1912 pencil, black chalk, pen and black ink and grey wash heightened with white, on board 36 x 53.3 cm |
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| c1914 The Belgian Barricade (A squadron of German Uhlans attack Belgian infantry behind a barricade) |
The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois is one of the most iconic paintings relating to the Great War. It depicts the 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers, formed up by companies near a roadside shrine on the Rue du Bois in France. They are receiving the sacrament of General Absolution which is being administered by the unit chaplain, Fr Francis Gleeson, on 8 May 1915, the eve of the Battle of Aubers Ridge. The scene is based on eyewitness accounts gathered by Jessie Rickard, the widow of Lieutenant-Colonel Victor Rickard, who was killed in the battle.
The painting was published in the British magazine, The Sphere, on 27 November 1916. It proved so popular that large numbers of prints were later sold by the magazine. It also appeared in the Irish publication, The Weekly Freeman's. After the war many households in Cork displayed a copy of the print to honour family members who took part in the conflict.
The fate of the original painting is unknown. One theory is that it was destroyed in the Blitz on London during the Second World War. In 1919, Alfred Robinson, of Bakewell House, Bristol, commissioned Fortunino Matania to make a copy of the painting that is on display in this exhibition. It was commissioned to celebrate the safe return of his son, Lieutenant Alfred Esmond Robinson MC and Bar, from the war.
Cork City Council
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| after 1915 The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois |
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| after 1915 The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois detail |
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| 1915 The Strongest oil on canvas c44 x 31 cm |
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| 1915 Keeping off a night attack on the Western Front: A ruse de guerre in the trenches - Firing star pistols and rifles at once (25 December 1915) pencil, pen and ink, wash on board 36.8 x 26.7 cm |
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| 1915 Cover of "The Sphere" May 13 The Sinking of the Giant Cunard Liner "Lusitania," by a German Submarine |
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| 1916 A British raid on the German lines through clouds of poison gas (1st July 1916) pencil, pen & ink, wash on board |
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| 1916 Austro-Hungarian troops being swept away by an avalanche on the Italian Front (27 May 1916) |
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| 1916 Austro-Hungarian troops being swept away by an avalanche on the Italian Front detail |
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| 1916 Austro-Hungarian troops being swept away by an avalanche on the Italian Front detail |
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| 1916 Soldiers escorting wounded men from a war damaged building photogravure 22.4 x 35.1 cm |
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| 1916 Soldiers escorting wounded men from a war damaged building detail |
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| 1916 Soldiers escorting wounded men from a war damaged building detail |
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| c1916 World War One, Private Flynn by Matania, 1916 |
1917 An Advanced Dressing Station on the Western Front
A horse-drawn Red Cross ambulance wagon arriving at an advanced dressing station behind the front lines on the Western Front. After immediate treatment at a regimental aid post, wounded men would next be taken to an advanced dressing station situated in a handy house, barn or dug-out.
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| 1917 An Advanced Dressing Station on the Western Front watercolour 33.5 x 51.8 cm © Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans |
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| 1917 An Advanced Dressing Station on the Western Front detail |
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| 1917 An Advanced Dressing Station on the Western Front detail |
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| 1917 Following the troops over the edge - plucky work of the ammunition carriers |
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| 1917 The Last Message oil on canvas 50.8 x 76.2 cm Imperial War Museum, London |
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| 1917 The Last Message detail |
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| 1917 The red-haired girl oil on canvas 35 x 29 cm |
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| 1917 World War One Stretcher bearers under fire published in The Sphere 16 September 1917 monochrome watercolour and wash heightened with white 30 x 24 cm |
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| c1917 "Help the Horse to Save the Soldier" WW1 lithograph poster 76.2 x 50.8 cm |
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| c1917 The sinking of the transport ship “Ballarat” by an enemy submarine, April 25, 1917 pencil, pen and black ink and grey wash heightened with white, on board 36.8 x 26.7 cm |
