The Risorgimento (1815–1870) was a movement to unite Italy’s various states and territories. It influenced politicians, military personnel, and artists, who captured the period’s emotions, hopes, and battles in their works. Risorgimento painting is important in our artistic history, uniting art and historical narrative.
The artists and most significant works
Tra gli artisti più noti di questo periodo troviamo Gerolamo Induno, Giovanni Fattori e Francesco Hayez. Ognuno di loro ha contribuito con opere che ancora oggi ci fanno rivivere le tensioni e le speranze di quegli anni.
Francesco Hayez
Francesco Hayez (1835–1920), a Naples-born artist, is the most famous Risorgimento painter. He is known for The Kiss (1859), a masterpiece of Romanticism and a symbol of national unity and passion. His other work includes battle scenes, such as The Vow of Giuseppe Garibaldi (1853), which portrays the famous Italian general and patriot.
Gerolamo Induno
Gerolamo Induno (Milan, 1825 – 1890) was an Italian painter and patriot who fought bravely during the Five Days of Milan, in Tuscany, and Switzerland. He left to defend the Roman Republic with the Medici Legion.
He defended the Palazzo Barberini against the French, which resulted in twenty bayonet shots and injury.
Induno specialized in scenes of battles and military life, and took part in the Crimean expedition as a painter with the bersaglieri.
His 1857 painting of the Battle of Cernaia captures the drama of the Risorgimento wars.
Volontario garibaldino Gerolamo Induno
Sentinella garibaldina
Giovanni Fattori
Giovanni Fattori although more associated with realist painting and the Macchiaioli movement, painted scenes of everyday life and landscapes that indirectly relate to Risorgimento atmospheres and themes.
La battaglia di Custoza Giovanni Fattori
Michele Cammarano
He studied with the Posillipo nature school painters Filippo and Giuseppe Palizzi. In 1860, he enlisted in the National Guard to fight bandits. This experience influenced his artistic career, as evidenced by the works Il Campidoglio, Una partita a briscola, and Rissa a Trastevere. At the Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, the large canvases On June 24, 1859 at San Martino and Battle of Dogali are among his works.
At the Capodimonte Museum, there is a Risorgimento work called La breccia di Porta Pia (The breach of Porta Pia).
In 1870, he moved to Paris, where he met Courbet.
In 1877, he returned to Rome and devoted himself to social painting, influenced by the Macchiaioli milieu. His dramatic realism works testify to his connection with his family’s tradition.
Battle of Dogali by Michele Cammarano
At the Capodimonte Museum, there is a Risorgimento work called La breccia di Porta Pia (The breach of Porta Pia).
In 1870, he moved to Paris, where he met Courbet. In 1877, he returned to Rome and devoted himself to social painting, influenced by the Macchiaioli milieu. His dramatic realism works testify to his connection with his family’s tradition.
Soldiers under the snow work by painter Michele Cammarano available in our online store
Egidi MadeinItaly works in the gallery.
This work is available in our online store.
The work Soldiers under the snow by Michele Cammarano is available in our online store
Ippolito Caffi
Ippolito Caffi (Belluno, 1809 – Lissa, 1866) participated actively as a combatant in the events of the Italian Risorgimento.
This dedication to the patriotic cause led him to be an “artist-soldier”,committed to documenting the events he witnessed.
In 1848 he fought against the Austrians alongside volunteers from Belluno, but was taken prisoner in the Friulian campaign.
He served in the Venetian Civic Guard and, at the fall of the Republic, went into exile. He returns to Venice, where he is tried and imprisoned for his activities in 1849.
In 1860, he rushed south to witness the king’s entry into Naples, which he captured in a painting, and the advance of Garibaldi’s troops.
Art as Historical and Political Documentation: His artistic activity was intrinsically linked to the historical and political events in which he participated or witnessed. Caffi used his art, particularly drawing and painting, to document the events of the Risorgimento. This aspect is evident in his willingness to portray key events and the recovery of his drawings even after his death.
He enlisted in the Third War of Independence, embarking on the Italian fleet. On July 20, 1866, he died at Lissa in the sinking of the ship “King of Italy,” on which he had embarked to better observe the fighting. This detail underscores his determination and desire to document crucial events.
Egidi MadeinItaly works in the gallery
Marina by Ippolito Caffi dated 1840 from our online store
Marina by Ippolito Caffi dated 1840 from our online store
Our online store features a work by Ippolito Caffi, a delightful marina dated 1840.
Themes and Characteristics of Risorgimento Works
These works are characterized by a strong sense of patriotism and a desire for freedom. The protagonists of the struggle for independence are often idealized.
Scenes often depict battles, moments of sacrifice, and heroic figures such as Garibaldi, Mazzini, and Cavour.
Risorgimento art is also characterized by bright colors, dramatic compositions, and a strong emotional impact. These works aim to engage viewers and reinforce national identity.
The legacy of Risorgimento painting
These works are historical documents, educational tools, and sources of inspiration. They helped create a shared image of a united Italy that is strong and proud of its roots.
In conclusion, Risorgimento painting represents a bridge between art and history—a way to remember and celebrate the crucial moments that shaped our national identity.
The artists of that period left behind a valuable legacy that continues to inspire reflection on our history today.
