Francesco Netti

Apulian painter, born in Sant’Eramo in Colle, province of Bari, on 2 December 1834. Gozzoli gives us the following biography of him: «After leaving college in 1850 he studied to pursue a legal career. He interrupted them to devote himself exclusively to painting. His first masters were Giuseppe Bonolis and Tommaso De Vivo. In 1856 he left Naples for Rome, where he lived until 1860, working alone.

Back in Naples he continued his studies, taking advantage of the advice and training of professors Filippo Palazzi and Domenico Morelli. In 1866 he went to Paris, where in the following year he was part of the Italian Commissariat for the Universal Exposition. He left Paris in 1872 after the siege and the Franco-Prussian War.

He has published various art writings. He has collaborated as an artist and as a writer of art things in various newspapers; such as ‘Italy at the Paris Exposition’, published in Paris; the ‘Arte in Italia’, published in Turin; the ‘Indian illustration’, which is published in Milan. Knight of the Crown of Italy, in 1868, of the SS. Maurizio and Lazzaro in 1876, honorary professor of the Institute of Fine Arts of Naples, obtained a silver and a bronze medal as representative of the Italian Commissariat in Paris for the Universal Exhibition of 1867, and the bronze cross of the Geneva Convention , for having been part of the military ambulance in the Franco-Prussian War 1870-1871.

Without counting the watercolors, here are some of his finest oil paintings: “Death of San Giuseppe Calasanzio surrounded by the fathers of the house he founded”, the first early work for the chapel of the college of San Carlo alle Mortelle in Naples; “La follia di Haydée”, a painting sent to the Florence Exposition in 1860; “After an orgy”, represents a Pulcinella suddenly taken ill during a dinner of masks, for an exhibition in Milan; “Episode of May 15, 1848 in Naples”, insurgents defending themselves from a window, bought by Mr. Vonviller in Naples; “The evening of the feast day”, two drunkards; “Walking dancer who watches over his sick child”; “Women preparing for a masquerade ball”; “A procession of penance during the eruption of Vesuvius in 1631, at the Ponte della Maddalena”; “The rain”; “Leaving the dance at dawn”, a memory of Paris; these last two were also bought by Mr. Wonviller; “Greek choir coming out of the temple”, awarded at the Naples Exposition of 1876; “Maddalena at the tomb of Jesus”, for the cathedral of Altamura; “Game of gladiators during a dinner in Pompeii”, purchased by S. M. the Queen of Italy.

At the 1883 Rome Exposition, he sent a highly praised painting reflecting a morbid curiosity about beautiful sex; to attend the criminal proceedings. The painting is entitled: “The ladies at the Assize Court” ». The painting “La Siesta” appeared in that of Turin in 1884, which was sold. In Venice, in 1887, he exhibited: “Turkish women take coffee” and “The crisis”. Another beautiful painting, “The Drinking House”, was sent by him to America, and the other painting, “A Return from the Countryside”, done in 1883, was purchased by Mrs. Weemaels. In addition to these works, Netti has made a large number of “Portraits” and many minor works in watercolor and oil, all of an uncommon grace and originality and in which the skilled artist, the perfect draftsman is always revealed. , the excellent and brilliant colorist.