Elihu Vedder

Elihu Vedder lived in Italy for most of his career, painting this small picture in one of his favorite haunts, a village near Perugia. Looking through a narrow, arched passageway, we glimpse the sun-drenched hills of Umbria in the distance. A local child leans against a large mill-stone in the foreground, and the artist records his name as Pompeo. This carefully composed study in light, color, and geometry aligns Vedder’s paintings with the impressionistic style of the contemporary Italian artists of the Macchiaoli group. The contrast between the young boy and the centuries-old buildings around him adds a sense of mystery and melancholy to the overall scene.