FNetti

A multifaceted figure of painter, art critic and photographer, he was a leading exponent of Southern artistic culture in the second half of the 19th century.



He had an intense relationship with his native region, especially in the last period, when he discovered the poetics of the landscape of the Murgia, dedicating himself to rural scenes and episodes from the life of the reapers.

Descendant of the landed bourgeoisie, after graduating in law he attended, but only for one year, the Institute of Fine Arts in Naples. However he had already studied privately with G. Bonolis, De Vivo and fellow countryman M. De Napoli.

From 1856 to 1859 he stayed in Rome practicing mainly drawing, as documented by a series of copies of ancient sculptures. Decisive for his training was his friendship-apprenticeship with D. Morelli, in whose studio he completed some paintings, including the Byronian Follia di Haidée, presented at the First Italian Exhibition in Florence in 1861, and the Portrait of his brother Antonio.

The most important works of the first period, still characterized by attendance at F. Palizzi's School of the Nude (1862-1864), are An episode of May 15, 1848 (Naples, National Museum of San Martino), presented at the 1st Neapolitan Promoting Exhibition of the 1862, The rain (Naples, Museo di Capodimonte), sent to the III Promoter of 1864, and Procession of penance during the eruption of Vesuvius in 1794, with which he participated in the IV Promoter of 1866.

With the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War he served in the ambulance of the Italian Red Cross. At the end of the Parisian period are placed the two versions after the ball: Orgy and work and La sortie du bal, rue dell'Académie de Médicine (Naples, Museo di Capodimonte), the second completed in 1872, after his return to Naples. A French memory is also the painting Rive del Loing near Marlotte, presented at the Neapolitan Promoter of 1874.