Andrea Appiani (31 May 17548 November 1817) was an Italian neoclassical painter.

Life

Born in Milan, it had been intended that he follow his father's career in medicine but instead entered the private academy of the painter Carlo Maria Giudici (1723–1804) where he received instruction in drawing, copying mainly from sculpture and prints. From there, he then joined the class of the fresco painter Antonio de' Giorgi, which was held at the Ambrosiana picture gallery in Milan. At the same time, he also frequented the studio of Martin Knoller, where his knowledge of painting in oils was deepened. Also, he studied anatomy at the

Ospedale Maggiore The Policlinico of Milan ( it, Policlinico di Milano) also known as Ospedale Maggiore di Milano or Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, is one of the oldest hospitals in Italy, founded by Duke Francesco Sforza in 1456. Today it is a modern ...

in Milan with the sculptor Gaetano Monti. Appiani's interest in aesthetic issues was stimulated by the classical poet

Giuseppe Parini Giuseppe Parini (23 May 1729 – 15 August 1799) was an Italian enlightenment satirist and poet of the neoclassic period. Biography Parini (originally spelled Parino) was born in Bosisio (later renamed Bosisio Parini in his honour) in Brianza ...

, whom he drew in two fine pencil portraits. In 1776 he entered the

Brera Academy The Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera ("academy of fine arts of Brera"), also known as the or Brera Academy, is a state-run tertiary public academy of fine arts in Milan, Italy. It shares its history, and its main building, with the Pinacoteca di ...

of Fine Arts to follow the painting courses of Giulio Traballesi, receiving a mastery of the fresco technique. Among his masterpieces are the frescoes depicting the four evangelists and doctors of the church that he painted for the cupola and pendentives for the church of Santa Maria presso San Celso in 1795 and the fresco with ''The Parnassus'', representing Apollo and the Muses, on the ceiling of the dining room of

Royal Villa of Milan The Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte, also known as Villa Reale and formerly called Villa Comunale, is a palace in Milan, in Lombardy in northern Italy. It was built between 1790 and 1796 as the residence of Count Ludovico Barbiano di Belgiojoso. The vi ...

. Another masterpiece are the frescoes depicting ''Allegories of Virtues'' and others honoring Napoleon in the rooms of the

Royal Palace of Milan The Royal Palace of Milan (Italian: ''Palazzo Reale di Milano'') was the seat of government in the Italian city of Milan for many centuries. Today, it serves as a cultural centre and it is home to international art exhibitions. It spans through ...

. Although created a pensioned artist to the

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia was proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to an institutional referendum to abandon the monarchy and f ...

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

, Appiani lost his allowance after the fall of the Kingdom in 1814 and fell into poverty. During his period as

court painter A court painter was an artist who painted for the members of a royal or princely family, sometimes on a fixed salary and on an exclusive basis where the artist was not supposed to undertake other work. Painters were the most common, but the cour ...

he rendered portraits of Napoleon and the chief personages of his regime, among the most graceful of which are his oil paintings ''Venus and Love'', and ''Rinaldo in the garden of Armida''. He is known as "the elder", to distinguish him from his great-nephew Andrea Appiani, an historical painter in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. Appiani painted a large canvas of the ''Encounter of Rachel and Jacob'' for a church in Alzano. The Brera has a fresco by Appiani representing Olympus. He died at Milan in 1817. Among his pupils are Antonio De Antoni, Carlo Prajer, Angelo Monticelli, and Giuseppe Bossi.*

Gallery

Andrea Appiani - Nicolas Frochot.jpg, Andrea Appiani - General Desaix - WGA00782.jpg, Andrea Appiani Ritratto di Ugo Foscolo Pinacoteca di Brera 1801-1802.jpg, Joséphine de Beauharnais by Andrea Appiani.png, Joséphine Reine d'Italie by Andrea Appiani.png, Andrea Appiani - The Olympus - WGA0784.jpg, Andrea Appiani - Hercules at the crossroads.jpg, Andrea Appiani (circle) Jupiter und Merkur bei Philemon und Baucis.jpg, File:Appiani, Andrea I - Head of Laocoon - Google Art Project.jpg, Head of

Laocoön Laocoön (; grc, , Laokóōn, , gen.: ), is a figure in Greek and Roman mythology and the Epic Cycle. Laocoon was a Trojan priest. He and his two young sons were attacked by giant serpents, sent by the gods. The story of Laocoön has been the su ...

, about 1790 Andrea Appiani 003.jpg, Eugène Beauharnais, portrait by Appiani, 1800. Santa Maria dei Miracoli 11.JPG, Villa reale, Milano - Andrea Appiani (1754–1817), il Parnaso, Apollo e le Muse (Carlo Dell'Orto) 19.JPG,

References

Notes: Sources: * * Domenico Sedini
Andrea Appiani
online catalogu
Artgate
by

Fondazione Cariplo Fondazione Cariplo is a charitable foundation in Milan, Italy. It was created in December 1991 when the Amato law, Law no. 218 of 30 July 1990, came into force. Under this law, saving banks were required to separate into a not-for-profit fou ...

, 2010, CC BY-SA.

External links

Appiani, Andrea
{{DEFAULTSORT:Appiani, Andrea 1754 births 1817 deaths 18th-century Italian painters Italian male painters 19th-century Italian painters Italian neoclassical painters Italian muralists Court painters Painters from Milan Brera Academy alumni 19th-century Italian male artists 18th-century Italian male artists