Biography
Chevalier Fortunino Matania (April 16, 1881 – February 8, 1963) was an Italian artist noted for his portrayal of World War I trench warfare and of a wide range of historical subjects.
Born in Naples, the son of artist Eduardo Matania, Fortunino Matania studied at his father’s studio. 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 subsequently covered every major event of British royalty up to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953.
In 1904, Matania joined the staff of The Sphere, where he would produce illustrations of the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.
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.
After the war Matania switched to scenes of ancient society life for the British women’s magazine, Britannia and Eve. He filled his London studio with reproductions of Roman furniture and searched history books for suitably lively subjects. He treated subjects including Samson and Delilah, the bacchanalian celebrations of ancient Rome, and colonial-era American Indian maidens—all with respect for accuracy and detail.
Matania exhibited regularly at the Royal Academy, and also at the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, where in 1917 he was elected a member. From 1908 his work appeared 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 the LMS railway designing posters for Southport and Blackpool, Ovaltine, Burberry’s sporting outfitters and many others.
Matania was also recommended 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. In the early 1930s, Matania illustrated Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Pirates of Venus” and “Lost on Venus.”
In later years, Matania provided illustrations to Italian magazines. 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.
Nationality:
Italian
Dates:
April 16, 1881 – February 8, 1963
Occupation:
Painter, Illustrator
Group / Movement:
Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours