Fontanesi, Antonio (1818-1882)

Fontanesi, Antonio

PAINTER (ITALY)

BORN 23 Feb 1818, Reggio-Emilia - DIED 17 Apr 1882, Torino, Piemonte
GRAVE LOCATION Torino, Piemonte: Cimitero Monumentale, Corso Novara (Ampliazone 3, Arcata 56)

Antonio Fontanesi learned painting with Prospero Minghetti and Vincenzo Carnevali. From 1841 to 1846 he created theatre sets and he also painted landscapes. In 1848 he joined a revolutionary group to fight the Austrians. He moved to Geneva in 1850 and there he stayed until 1865, although he was was a member of Cavour's forces in Bologna for a short period.

In 1855 he visited the Exposition Universelle in Paris. In 1863 he tried to move to London but he was unable to get enough commissions and he returned to Italy. He was a candidate for a professorship in Lucca, but in Turin a landscape painting professorship was created especially for him. He held this chair from 1869 to 1876. In 1876 he became an advisor to the new school of painting and sculptur that was founded in Tokyo. Ill health forced him to return to Italy in 1878 and he died in Turin in 1882.

Images
The ashes of several famous persons were buried here at the Cimitero Monumentale, Turin. Picture by Androom (28 Feb 2014)	The grave of Antonio Fontanesi at the Cimitero Monumentale, Turin. Picture by Androom (28 Feb 2014)