The Macchiaioli

Oil/Wood, Artist Unknown

Raffaello Sernesi, c.1861

"The Macchiaioli (Spot Makers) were a group of Italian painters from Tuscany, active in the second half of the nineteenth century, who, breaking with the antiquated conventions taught by the Italian academies of art, painted outdoors in order to capture natural light, shade, and colour. The Macchiaioli were forerunners of the Impressionists who, beginning in the 1860s, would pursue similar aims in France. The most notable artists of this movement were Giovanni Fattori, Silvestro Lega and Telemaco Signorini." - Wikipedia

The Macchiaioli were highly trained painters. By working from nature and applying their knowledge and skills, they found more intimate and direct pictorial expressions.

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