Giovanni Fattori

Born in Livorno September 6, 1825 , died in Florence August 30, 1908 . He attended the Academy of Florence (1846) where he taught Joseph Bezzuoli, but during that time he learned little because his poor financial condition did not allow him to have a studio, models , and many times even the room to sleep . His real study was tirelessly draw from life , at any point anything had happened to the eye .

The animals and especially horses were his favorite subjects , then drew soldiers in the camps , education in the fighting. The first important work which he presented to the public was ” The Battle of Magenta “, with which he won the competition Ricasoli in 1859 , currently located in the Gallery of Modern Art in Florence.

In this context, it was followed by others, even with a military subject ,  “The Prince Amedeo wounded in Custoza ” ; ” the Battle of Custoza ,” ” the outbreak of the box ” , “The Northern League ,” ” the call after the charge ,” ” squadron of cavalry at the start ,” ” to the great maneuvers ,” ” Back in the barracks ,” ” Line battlefield ” and ” military exercises ” , both in the Gallery of Modern Art in Rome ; ” Police on patrol “and” Italian Dragoons on patrol “in the Milan office .

After 1870 he turned his activities to portray landscapes of Maremma with herds of cattle and ponies , conducted by cowboys bearded and looking proud , as their mounts . The main works of this period are: ” Marking of foals ,” “The Maremma ” , “The Sheep jumping in Maremma” , “Rest” , ” Market in Maremma ” ” And now ? .. ” ” The boscaiole ” , “The market of oxen ,” ” Horses grazing ” , ” Libecciata ” ” The watering ” and “In Ciociaria ” ” The bracketed ” , ” conductors herds ,” ” The drowned ,” ” The barrels red “” The Rotonda di Palmieri . ” Ugo Ojetti writes of him with synthesis and precision ” has been the most outspoken of the Tuscan macchiaiuoli and austere , not the head , because taciturn and alien to the theories and to drill if not by works .”

The factors was an artist in the true sense of the word and understood art as an apostolate . Innovator was not for fashion , but because his spirit ahead of its time , tantochè to young artists who he believed , did not indicate why the way of painting , which would mean , according to him, fight academy to create another.

He himself did not have a recipe, while maintaining a strong personality . In his works are found evolutions and transformations. He painted for his own spiritual need and repugnant to him to be forced to obtain that profit from its activity that was not always enough for the essentials.

In fact, he was content with a few pounds for the paintings purchased by his few admirers , he was so precious appointment , received in 1886 , a teacher at the Academy of Florence. He was among the many who did not at the time you exercised in the art of etching , which he had no competitors maybe even among foreigners .

He painted portraits, but not for the commission, and among these include: ” Self-portrait” , that of the ” first wife ” of the ” stepchild ” of the ” Miss Siccoli ” of ” Diego Martelli ” and ” Silvestro Lega on the rocks ” . Other works: ” Market horses ” canvas exhibited with great success in Vienna and Philadelphia and lost in the sinking of the ship during the return trip , ” White Wall ” , owned by the gr. uff . Aldo Borelli , ” Oxen yoked ” , in the collection of the Comm. Clausetti of Milan ” Cavalry Patrol ” , in that the comm . prof. Mario Nelli , ” Monaca questing ” and “Lord in the Garden” , in that the comm . Mario Vannini Parenti, Florence.