Odoardo Borrani (22 August 1833 – 14 September 1905) was an Italian painter associated with the

Macchiaioli The Macchiaioli () were a group of Italian painters active in Tuscany in the second half of the nineteenth century. They strayed from antiquated conventions taught by the Italian art academies, and did much of their painting outdoors in order t ...

group.

Biography

He was born in Pisa. The Borrani family moved to Florence, where Odoardo enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in 1853. There, he studied under ,

Giuseppe Bezzuoli Giuseppe Bezzuoli (28 November 1784 – 13 September 1855) was an Italian painter of the Neoclassic period, active in Milan, Rome, and his native city of Florence. Biography He studied as a young man under Jean-Baptiste Desmarais at the Academ ...

, and

Enrico Pollastrini Enrico Pollastrini (15 June 1817, Livorno – 19 January 1876, Florence) was an Italian history painter and art school director. Life and work He began his training as an assistant in the workshop of a local artist named Vincenzo De Bonis. In 1 ...

. However, he became independent of the academic styles. Borrani_Cucitrici

His first painting while at the Academy was titled ''Un veglione di maschere alla Pergola''. In 1859, he painted ''

Lorenzo the Magnificent Lorenzo di Piero de' Medici (; 1 January 1449 – 8 April 1492) was an Italian statesman, banker, ''de facto'' ruler of the Florentine Republic and the most powerful and enthusiastic patron of Renaissance culture in Italy. Also known as Lorenzo ...

Saves Himself From Being Murdered in the Sacristy of the Cathedral'', an episode of the Pazzi Conspiracy. For this painting. Borrani was awarded the Gold medal by the contest of the Accademia of Florence. That same year, he joined the army and upon returning from the short campaign, he painted the ''Cadaver of Jacopo de' Pazzi'' and ''Michelangelo Directs the Fortification of Florence''. It was with his new friends

Telemaco Signorini Telemaco Signorini (; August 18, 1835 – February 10, 1901) was an Italian artist who belonged to the group known as the Macchiaioli. Biography He was born in the Santa Croce quarter of Florence, and showed an early inclination toward the stu ...

and

Vincenzo Cabianca Vincenzo Cabianca (June 21, 1827, Verona – March 21, 1902, Rome) was an Italian painter of the Macchiaioli group. Biography He was born in Verona in modest circumstances. He began his artistic training at the Verona Academy under Giovanni Ca ...

that he took up painting from life and came into contact with the

group gravitating around the

Caffè Michelangiolo Caffè Michelangiolo was a historic café in Florence, located in Via Larga (now renamed Via Cavour). During the nineteenth century Wars of Italian Independence, it became a major meeting place for Tuscan writers and artists, and for patriots and ...

. He served as a volunteer in the Second Italian War of Independence in 1859. In 1862, together with

Giuseppe Abbati Giuseppe Abbati (January 13, 1836February 21, 1868) was an Italian painter who belonged to the group known as the Macchiaioli. Biography Abbati was born in Naples. He received early training in painting from his father Vincenzo, who specialized ...

Silvestro Lega Silvestro Lega (8 December 1826 – 21 September 1895) was an Italian realist painter. He was one of the leading artists of the Macchiaioli and was also involved with the Mazzini movement. Biography He was born in Modigliana, near Forlì, to a ...

Raffaello Sernesi Raffaello Sernesi (December 25, 1838 – August 9, 1866) was an Italian painter and medallist associated with the Macchiaioli group. He was born in Florence in modest circumstances. After an apprenticeship to a local engraver, he enrolled at th ...

and Signorini, he went to work in the countryside outside Florence near Piagentina, in consequence of which these painters became known as the school of Piagentina. It was also in 1862 that he first spent the summer at

Castiglioncello Castiglioncello (formerly ''Castiglione Mondiglio'') is a ''frazione'' of 3800 inhabitants of the '' comune'' of Rosignano Marittimo, in the province of Livorno, Tuscany, Italy. Located in a privileged position from the panoramic point of view, ...

, as the guest of the critic

Diego Martelli Diego Martelli (October 29, 1839 – November 20, 1896) was an Italian art critic who was one of the first supporters of Impressionism in Italy. He was a defender and associate of the Tuscan artists the Macchiaioli, whom he often hosted at his esta ...

. In 1875, he and Lega established a gallery to promote younger artists, but it soon went out of business. He exhibited less frequently in his later years and made his living as a teacher, ceramic decorator, and graphic artist for ''L’Illustrazione Italiana''. He died of peritonitis in Florence on 14 September 1905. Among his works are ''La mietitura nella montagna Pistoiese''; ''Speranze perdute'' (Lost Hope), ''Al Coro'', ''Il richiamo del contingente'' (Rescue of the Contingent); ''Le primizie''; ''L' Arno'' (The Arno); ''Il torrente Mugnone''; ''In attesa del pittore''; ''Interno della church of Santa Monica''; ''Firenze il 9 gennaio 1878''; ''La vigilia della Sagra'' ; ''La sterpata di San Rossore''; ''Cammelli in riposo''; ''Una Vestale Cristiana''; ''Il ritorno sotto le armi''; ''Fate la carità''; ''L'Estasi di Santa Teresa'' (Ecstasy of St Teresa); ''Un mattino sul torrente Magnolie'' which was exhibited at the Esposizione di Roma; ''Un pensiero mondano'' (A Mundane Thought); ''Antica porta a Pinti avanti la demolizione''; ''La Cosacela presso Firenze''; ''La Nonna'' (The Grandmother); ''Una Monaca''; ''In cerca di documenti''; ''Episodio di Carnevale''; ''Mi chiama?''; ''La mia cucina'' (My Kitchen); ''Goldoni''; ''Maria Stuarda'' ( Mary Stuart); ''Un alabardiere'' (

Halberdier A halberd (also called halbard, halbert or Swiss voulge) is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. The word ''halberd'' is cognate with the German word ''Hellebarde'', deriving from ...

); ''San Giovanino''; ''Costumi fiorentini del 1500''; ''Contadina Romana''; ''Mezza figura di bambina col gatto''; ''Al mio studio'';'' Curiosità''; ''Gioie materne''; ''La mietitura nelle maremme toscane''; ''L'annegato''; ''L'analfabeta'' (The Illiterate) ; ''Il regalo al padrone'' (Gift to the Godfather); ''Teco vegliar m'è caro''; ''I prepativi per la festa''; ''Per l'acqua''; ''Motivo dal vero''; as well as many watercolors and portraits.De Gubernatis, page 67-68.

References

Artgate Fondazione Cariplo - Borrani Odoardo, Visita allo studio

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Borrani, Odoardo 1833 births 1905 deaths People from Pisa 19th-century Italian painters 19th-century Italian male artists Italian male painters 20th-century Italian painters 20th-century Italian male artists Painters from Tuscany Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze alumni

Biography

References

Further reading

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