PROVENANCE:
Collection of David Langley, Christchurch by descent

Described by the critic Robert Hughes as having a rather mediocre vision, Nerli was at times the equal of his more famous Australian friends and associates. His range of subjects was more extensive than some.

He could paint portraits, landscapes, figure compositions and scenes of everyday life. If in works like Laughing Jackasses he sometimes revealed a sense of humour that approaches caricature, this does not detract from the seriousness of his other paintings. His subjects drawn from ancient Roman history, his orgia, were among the most controversial of the works he showed in Australia and later New Zealand. His greatest popular successes were with his portraits. They always attracted attention form the critics because Nerli was able to give a sense of style and bravura to what in others hands might have been a dull recording of features and clothing.

Text: Nerli, An Italian painter in the South Pacific Michael Dunn, Auckland University Press, 2005